Repentance turned Salvation
by Raven.Borgia
Summary: What if it was Elijah's blood Dr Fell gave to Elena in the hospital? What are the consequences of being turned by Original blood? Season 4 rewritten. The story of bonds, blood, love and dangers for our favourite couple. Mature sexual content in later chapters, mature readers only. Disclaimer: I do not own them, merely make them do my bidding! R&R sweethearts and Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Back with you, my Elejah sweetheart ;) with a new story and a new twist. May I say, the break from these two was beneficial to form a nice plot but I did miss them very much and found out Klaroline is not my strong suit (just as I thought). So enjoy, and let me know how much you like it ;) or if you don't :P**

**Always and Forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

Elijah cautiously stepped into the hospital room, avoiding both Salvatores on his way, as his gaze fell upon the unconscious form of Elena Gilbert on the bed. Her usually warm and radiant olive skin lost some of its colour and the steady beeping sound almost drowned out her soft breathing. The lady doctor standing by her side did not notice him yet and pulled out a small vial of blood. He could smell with the aid his millennium old senses the sweetness of the viscous liquid. Vampire blood. And she was just about to administer it. In less than a second he was standing behind her and held her wrist carefully, stopping her startled scream with a hand over her mouth.

"Calm down Doctor, I am here to help." He said softly and after making sure she will not scream let her turn around.

She turned around sharply and looked at him for a moment before recognition flashed in her eyes. "You are one of the Originals." She said softly as to not awake Elena. "Why are you here?" she asked.

He nodded. "I would appreciate if you did not mention my presence to anyone, not even the Salvatores. I wish to help. My blood is much older and stronger than whoever has donated the content of that vial. Allow me to aid the lovely Elena in her recovery."

She contemplated his offer for a moment before motioning for him to sit down. "Roll up your sleeve please, I will take one full syringe and transfer it directly into her vein." She said and stepped towards the cabinet in the room, pulling out a fresh syringe and needle while he obeyed her orders.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked softly as she swiped the alcohol wipe over a prominent vein and pressed the needle inside skilfully, drawing the dark blood slowly into the large syringe.

"I wish to help. Is she present due to blood loss?" he asked, turning his head to look upon the young woman not far from his seat. He heard about Niklaus' plan to drain her and that is why he was on his way here in the first place but word of her escape and his brother's desiccation reached his ears. It left him with mixed feelings of relief and sadness, but at least the hybrid now knew what it felt like to be in pain and how they all have felt after being daggered and revived. With a mind set towards a bargain for his brother's body, he left for the Gilbert residence, but caught the younger Gilbert just leaving the house, talking to Miss Bennett on the phone about Elena being in the hospital.

The lady doctor (something Fell, if he remembered correctly...Meredith Fell, that was it) interrupted his thoughts with soft words. "No, the blood loss would have been easily recovered. She must have fallen and hit her head during the struggle or once at home. She has severe head trauma and a swelling on the brain. That is why vampire blood was required. She means too much to too many here in Mystic Falls. I cannot let her die or live with permanent consequences." She explained.

He nodded. "Her condition is worse than I thought. Supply her with two full syringes. I wish for her to make a swift and painless recovery." He said.

She looked at him with narrowed eyes as if trying to figure out his motive. "Are you trying to repent for your brother's transgressions against her?" she asked curiously.

He gave her one of his polite smiles but his dark eyes remained detached and chilling in their hidden power. "Perhaps, perhaps not." He said as she finally drew the second syringe and he rolled down his sleeve, skin already healed. "See to her full recovery. And if anyone asks, do not mention my presence here tonight." He left after she nodded her consent and administered his blood into Elena's system.

His blood was the least he could do, for how his family constantly put her life in danger. She was the doppelganger and it was her faith. Yet he wished for her to make her own decision, to live a full and happy life that she seemed to long for. And he would forever carry the shame of his actions against her the last time they have met.

...

"Rebekah!" he persisted but the line went dead. Niklaus was dead and he was still willing to honour the agreement he made with Elena, to let the history-teacher-turned-vampire-hunter follow them and leave Mystic Falls. But his sister foolishly sought out revenge and was about to do something he would never be able to forgive her for.

And so he started running, as fast as he could towards Mystic Falls, only to get to the wicker bridge to see his sister standing in the middle of the road and the car with Elena and her jock friend falling into the water. "No..." he whispered, icy fingers of regret gripping his chest. After all that he has done to ensure she would live, she was about to die at the hands of her sibling, but a different one that he had thought.

As Elijah contemplated jumping into the water to save her, he saw the younger Salvatore diving in. She will be saved... He could no longer watch, so he left for his estate near Mystic Falls but far away to find peace in the secluded forest area. He was just pouring himself a tumblr of his favourite Russian vodka when his phone rang again. When he noticed Rebekah's name on the screen, he gritted his teeth before pressing the accept button.

"Rebekah, I believe you are satisfied now after your petulant attempt to kill the hunter?" he asked, his voice completely dispassionate.

"He *is* dead, brother. We no longer have to run." He could hear satisfaction in her voice.

He froze, methodically placing the glass on the liquor cabinet before him in order not to break it in his tight grip.

"Stefan Salvatore jumped into the river after them. I doubt he would have let her die." He said, sounding nonchalantly yet his own chest hollow.

"He did, but saved the jock first. She died. Well, technically. Unfortunately, she died with vampire blood in her system so now she's going to be around forever." The blond sounded completely aggravated. "Then again I can always get a stake and end her. Life wound be so much easier without the backstabbing little whiny teenager."

Elijah closed his eyes for a moment, processing the information. Because of his blood, received last night in the hospital, she was going to live forever instead of getting a normal human life that she craved. He had failed her. A sudden irritation over came him at his sister's voice.

"You, dear sister, have proved petty in your revenge and intention. You are not to touch or plot against Elena in any way. Do I make myself clear?" he asked, his voice grave and serious.

Rebekah just laughed. "Or what? You will dagger me like Nik?"

Elijah's mouth twisted in an unpleasant smirk. "Oh, much worse than that. As the eldest living Mikaelson and therefore the patriarch of our family, I have the right and power to not only disown you but shame your name as well, freeze your financial assets and confiscate any possessions acquired with the family budget. Furthermore, all family heirlooms will be taken from your possession and accommodation gained repossessed." He announced.

The line went silent for a moment before he heard her hiss of outrage. "You wouldn't dare..."

"Of course I would. And do not even attempt to talk about family and family matters with me, for you have repeatedly disregarded both my wishes and orders, and aided Niklaus in matters where it was not your place to. However, as I do value family, no matter how...disjointed ours is, I give you one more chance to change my mind. Do *not* disrespect me again, little sister." He drawled in a cold manner before ending the call.

He knew Rebekah would heed his words, for an eternity is too long to live in shame of exclusion from the family. His own family...Esther, Mikael, Finn dead; Niklaus only the Gods knew where and if he was truly dead, Rebekah forever spoilt and rebellious and Kol, who always made his way with cunning. Yes, they were fractured and weakened, but they were still the Original family and would prevail, he would see to it.

Yet he had a more pressing concern to deal with. He knew Dr Fell would have given Elena vampire blood to aid in healing, but to die with the blood of an Original in your system was a wholly different matter. The transition was much easier to handle, the mind clearer. But once the blood was tasted, she would become hyper-aware of her surroundings. Smells, lights, colours, sounds...it will all hit her like a wall of bricks and there would be no one equipped well enough to aid her. Elijah finished his drink, and after a quick shower and picking up a few important gifts headed back for Mystic Falls.

...

Elena woke up, gasping for breath and feeling momentarily disoriented as she looked around. She was lying in her bed, her thick comforter suddenly feeling too heavy for her body so she kicked it off and curled in on herself, the bright light still blinding to her sensitive eyes. Has it all been a bad dream? The choice? The river? Her death?

"Elena." She heard a soft voice beside her and automatically turned her head in the direction. It sounded so familiar, sweet and gentle...Stefan. She opened her eyes once more to see the blinds have been drawn and both Salvatores in her bedroom.

"What happened?" she asked, her senses still numbed.

"You are in transition." Drawled Damon in his usual manner.

Only now did she notice a purring undertone to his voice, like a large black panther ready to hunt. What was he saying again? Transition... into what? Sudden realisation dawned on her and she sat up abruptly.

"I am a vampire." She whispered in astonishment. Surprisingly, the thought did not shock her as much as she would have expected. Living around so many supernatural beings, it was only a matter of time until she died and lost her humanity. Why was she so calm? Shouldn't she be freaking out?

"Not yet, you will have to complete the transition. Thanks to Stefan here who let you die with vampire blood in your system." This time she could hear the anger in his voice and it did little to comfort her jumbled thoughts.

"Vampire blood?" she asked, not remembering digesting any.

"When you were at the hospital, Meredith Fell gave you some to heal you; otherwise you would have dies from serious head trauma." explained Stefan gently. "We can wait, postpone the transition. Bonnie is already looking for something to skirt around. Perhaps you can stay human." He suggested, yet his optimism was not shared by the rest of the present.

"Leave." She said simply. "Please. I need to rest." She added after seeing their grave faces. She needed some time to process.

"Take your time." said Stefan in that same gentle tone that was starting to irritate her somewhat, before they left.

She curled up in her bed and closed her eyes, her mind moving a mile an hour. She had to complete the transition and become a vampire or died. Memories started flooding her mind. The sense of relief at death claiming her in the river...the choice she had made when Damon pressed her, yet too soon for it to be a real decision. Could she ever really choose between them? Were Stefan and Damon who she needed right now? Was she ready for a relationship after the past 10 months of hell and confusion? With a startling clarity, she realised the answer to all above questions was very simple, no. No, she was not ready. She had so much to learn about being a vampire, controlling the urges that would surely arise within her new body...

A rustling sound made her open her eyes and gasp at the sight of the eldest living Original in her room. "Elijah...I thought you were gone."

He shook his head. "I was, until I heard... Would you like me to leave?" he asked politely. If she did not wish his presence, he could always leave her in the care of the Salvatores, no matter how unsatisfactory he found that option.

Elena just shook her head. Elijah was a man of his words and she knew he would be far away from Mystic Falls by now if it was not important. Their agreement was after all that he would let Ric chase them to get the hunter away from Mystic Falls. Wait...Rebekah stood on the bridge, she died because of her. She died, linked to Ric. That meant that Ric was dead too... Her eyes widened with realisation as her thoughts came to a natural conclusion. She has lost the last parental figure in her life, her human life and faced an eternity...

"Elena." Elijah's soft baritone pulled her out of her musings and her eyes focused on his patient face.

"Ric is dead..." she blurted suddenly, to which he merely nodded.

Her mind and body suddenly felt numb, as if she was only a bystander watching an episode in a TV show. Her life did not feel as if it belonged to her anymore, yet there was little time to dwell. She needed to pull it together, complete the transition, arrange Ric's funeral and then...take it one day at a time. She knew what needed to be done, yet could not bring herself to do it just yet.

"Elena." The Original called her name again and she refocused.

"Right. Why don't you tell me the aim of your visit?" she asked, offering a small crooked smile that did not reach her eyes. "While always a gentleman, none of your previous visits has been a mere social call."

Elijah chuckled, amused at her wit even in such a life-altering situation, no pun intended. "Yes, I believe I owe you an apology and come offering help." He said with that warm smile he always had for her.

She had noticed before that his face while usually polite, when he was around her, his lips stretched just that bit more into a warmer smile. She herself could not deny her almost a fondness for the moral and honourable man, his letter and apology for endangering her life fresh on her mind.

"What apology?" she asked, motioning at the other side of her bed to make himself comfortable.

He accepted her offer and sat with one of his legs bent, in order to be able to face her. She found the contrast between her room filled with bright colours, memories and the reminders of her youth, and his perfectly tailored suit and straight back. Amusement suddenly overcame her numb state and a chuckle escaped her lips. Then another, and another until she was laughing softly, a slight undertone of hysteria lacing her giggles. She could not stop and started panicking slightly.

Elijah recognised the signs of emotional overload in her behaviour and composed his features into a stern mask. "Elena, focus." He snapped at her and she instantly stopped laughing, shocked at the change of his demeanour, her eyes wide.

His features instantly softened and he offered another smile. "Apologies, your emotions were taking a hold of you and I find this approach always works to bring someone under control. It is perfectly natural at this stage." He offered, hoping he did not offend her.

The brunette merely nodded in gratitude before sitting up more, her back against the headboard. "I'm sorry. Please continue." She offered a small sheepish smile.

He nodded. "As I already implied, I owe you an apology as the patriarch of the Mikaelson family. For how first Niklaus endangered your life, which unfortunately lead to you consuming vampire blood, and my sister Rebekah who cause your mortal death."

Elena raised her hand to stop the flow of his words and he respected her wish. "It was not you who committed those acts against me, therefore I do not hold you accountable for their actions. Even though you have the responsibility for the family now." she acknowledged his position as the eldest. "And if I understand well, you saved my life by giving me your blood. Apologising is really not what you need to be doing right now." she managed a small reassuring smile.

Elijah just shook his head. "Elena there are...consequences for being turned by an Original. My blood in your system will cause you to be slightly different than a regular new vampire." He admitted.

She raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What consequences?"

For the first time in a millennium, Elijah felt weary. He could not predict Elena's reaction, no matter how well he has observed her in the past when she was still human. Too much has changed in her life and he felt disconcerted by the unpredictability of her current state. But nevertheless, she deserved the truth.

"Your senses will be much more enhanced and heightened than those of a regular vampire. That may cause various reactions to blood, your urges will have to be monitored for a while. You will still be susceptible to sunlight, as we all are, but vervain will not affect you as harshly. And you cannot be killed by anything other than a wooden state. It is as if you have become a part of the family, similar to a bond of marriage or procreation. Finn has turned his lover Sage, who was very powerful indeed, you have met her. Those who were our next of kin, the few we have turned personally...all gone, Niklaus has made it his mission to weaken our lines by killing our direct descendants. You are the only one directly of my line at present time." he tried to explain.

"Similar to a bond of marriage?" she looked at him confused.

He chuckled. "Not quite so. I believe the human custom states that if you are to marry someone, you marry their family as well because they will directly influence your life, in what way is debatable. Is it not so?" he asked.

She nodded. "Kind of. But that doesn't make they will affect your identity if you marry into the family."

Elijah shook his head again. "From a sociological point of view, that is highly debatable. What I meant by using the human analogy, is that others will be able to sense my blood inside you because of its age and power. It would be like any single straight male that sees a woman with a wedding band on her finger. They turn their head and look for a single woman. Or at least they should." This time she chuckled with him at his old fashioned but much appreciated views.

"And therefore you will be protected by the Mikaelson family, as if a partner or a child would be. That was the purpose of my analogy. I apologise if it confused you." he added.

Elena just shook her head. "No, it's fine. I get what you mean, it's just...a lot to handle at the moment." She admitted, not used to showing a weakness in front of the regal man.

The Original however merely nodded. "That is perfectly understandable. However, if you are willing to complete the transition, sooner would be better rather than later."

She knew it was coming. Choosing to die now would be a disgrace to all those who have risked their lives and paid with them to keep her safe in the past. And she would not allow it.

"I will complete it." She said with new determination in her eyes.

Elijah's carefully schooled features did not hint at the relief that settled in his mind, he merely nodded. "In that case allow me to offer my aid in two aspects. If I may?" he asked, offering her a small box. Fine ornaments were carved into the old cherry wood and she had a sense it was quite old.

"For me?" she asked, surprised that he would be offering a gift. Perhaps it was a way of his to welcome her into the family do to speak. She could still not believe that the oldest, most powerful family of vampires on Earth was who she will be viewed as a part of. While the experience was almost completely surreal, she appreciated his honesty and willingness to help her. He could have left her to deal with this on her own, or to let Rebekah kills her. But here he was, perfectly mannered as always while she tried to grasp the fact that she will be a powerful vampire. Again, surreal.

But she accepted the box and opened it slowly, only to reveal the most beautiful ring she has ever seen in her life. It was delicate, cool silver that would contrast with her olive skin. It was made into two branches of a tree, leaves at the tips in the form of small lapis lazuli stones. Simple, yet so poignant and delicate at the same time. A gasp escaped her lips at the beauty of it, and the magnitude of such a gift.

"It is stunning..." she whispered, her slender finger gently caressed the cool metal as she spoke, "but I could not possibly accept such a gift." She looked up, her doe eyes meeting his dark bottomless ones and she almost felt like it was natural to accept for a moment, before he spoke.

"Elena, not only do you need a daylight ring, but I would not have you wearing one that was inferior to either your new status or beauty. As the direct descendent of my line, it is both my pleasure and duty to present you with this offering. Now, if you would kindly allow me..."

He sat a bit closer to her, pulled the ring out of the box and took her petite hand in his large warm one. "May I?" he asked politely and she could do none else but nod her head in consent.

The cool metal glided over her skin, before settling on her right ring finger. It fit perfectly and warmed her skin, as if accepting her as the owner. It admittedly made her hand look elegant and the way the light caught the small lapis lazuli leaves was mesmerising.

"Thank you..." she managed in a hoarse whisper, still stunned by the magnitude of the gift now in her possession.

"It was my pleasure, truly." She could hear a smile in his voice and a moment later felt his soft lips press against the knuckles of her hand, right above the beautiful ring.

Finally he withdrew his hand from hers and straightened in his seat. "There is one more thing I wish for you to have in your possession. A small talisman that will enhance the bond of my blood and let you find me in any circumstances. One of the witches at my disposal has charmed it, if I was to make such close kin again. I see it will be of use now." he handed her a small golden cufflink.

Elena chuckled. "A cufflink? Really. Of course, what else would it be, considering I have not seen you wear anything other than a suit?" amusement clear in her eyes as she looked at him again.

This time, it was Elijah who raised the eyebrow in question. "Are you complaining about my wardrobe, Miss Gilbert?" he drawled, yet she could clearly see he was teasing her. How unusual indeed...

Yet she was quickly recovered. "Oh, I would not dare, sir." She added the last word as a jibe, rolling it on her tongue in a purely teasing way. Two could play that game.

She could see his eyes darkening for a moment before a chuckled startled her gaze to fall on his proportionate lips. "Very well, Miss Gilbert. I do not care for mockery and will take my leave now." he stood and walked over to the door, but there was no injury in his tone.

"Until we meet again, lovely Elena." He added and closed the door after a last look at her smiling face.

...

It has now been two weeks since he left her residence, after the reassurance of her willingness to complete the transformation, and word got to him that she was mostly safe and adapting. The Salvatores were not happy about his involvement and the elder of the brothers seemed particularly vocal about it. Of course he could care less about the cretin, but worried the tension could influence Elena's well being.

He remained at the comfortable Tudor-style villa house near Mystic Falls, but enjoyed his peace and solitude, provided by the comfort of woods stretching in every direction of small clearing. The week of rain begun the day before last and Elijah found himself contemplating whether he wished to have any involvement in his brother's affairs.

Niklaus, ever the resourceful Original, had of course came remained alive through the body of Tyler Lockwood, one of his pet hybrids. While Elijah felt relieved his brother was not that, he could not detect any particular feeling of joy either, at the news of his brother still willing to terrorise the streets of Mystic Falls.

His sombre thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his front door and he startled slightly at the unexpected sound. No one, not even his siblings were aware of his presence her and that really left only one option. Elena.

He strode to the door and opened it fully only to have his assumptions confirmed, the petite shivering frame of the young woman at his doorstep.

"Elijah..." she whispered, a large duffel bag falling from her shoulder before she herself started descending toward the ground. He caught her easily, yet could not help the stab of panic in his chest as he noticed the copious wounds from a shot gun in her back, blood already pooling beneath her unconscious form.

He will want answers later but now, now he had a wounded woman to take care of.

**AN: What do you think? ;) BTW ELENA'S RING ** . /Lazuli-Reconstructed-stones-Sterling-Silver/dp/B009C7WWLC/ref=sr_1_1?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1360937592&sr=1-1

**Something like this xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Fasten your seatbelts sweethearts, I love you so much I give you two chapters in one day ;) Another chapter for you and this one with a special thanks and much love to the wonderful Siberia21, who is always so encouraging ;) Thank you all for the gorgeous reviews, here's to hope that you will like this one just as much xx**

**Always and forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

After kicking her bag inside, Elijah carried the unconscious beauty upstairs into the bedroom across from the master's suite where he resided. The room used to belong to the lady of the house and one of his previous human tenants painted it a gentle green which he believed would soothe her. For judging by her heavy bag, she planned to stay for a while.

Rolling her gently on her front, he assessed the shot wounds still bleeding heavily. Wooden bullets, at least a dozen of them if not two...fresh but deep, she must have moved, most likely ran a fair distance to get here with the injuries and the blood loss caused her to faint. While wooden bullets were hardly lethal to her even if stuck in the heart, they were still irritating and wounds caused by wood took time to heal. He carefully ripped the sweater in half, peeling it of her sticky skin and unhooked what looked to be a black lace brassiere. This was most definitely not the time to assess her taste in lingerie but Elijah still found himself smiling at the pleasing choice.

Nevertheless, more pressing matters were at hand. He fetched a bowl of water and some medical tweezers from the first aid kit in the kitchen and pulled the sharp bullets out one by one. Her skin wet from blood and rain alike, he cleaned it gently with a sponge and dried carefully as the wounds disappeared in front of his eyes. A blanket nearby caught his eye and after fastening the brassiere again, he placed it over her back, knowing the ruined sweater would hardly cover much and he would preserve her modesty as much as possible.

A soft pained groan escaped her lips before she shifted slightly and rolled on her back, the blanket sliding lower on her shoulders. She could sense his powerful presence and smell that unique soap of his...sandalwood, cedar and a hint of salt as all male skin smelled of. Her eyelids felt heavy for a moment and she reached her hand out instead to feel where he was.

"Elijah." She called softly until her fingers came in contact with his large warm palm and he gently held her hand.

"I am here, you should be healed soon. Let me get you some blood." He said, most likely sitting next to her and she did not feel like letting him go just yet. The warmth of his hand was pleasant to her damp skin, the hostile weather leaving her chilled.

"No, it's fine. The blood lust isn't that bad." She said as her fingers tightened around his hand and she slowly sat up, her eyes opening with caution against the light which made them tender. She smiled at him, quickly catching the falling blanket and pressing it to her chest on reflex when she felt the tattered sweater giving way.

"As you wish." he nodded. "May I ask what happened that brought you to me?"

She chuckled. "You sound as if I was not meant to be here." She teased him for going straight to the point, a quality he preferred to hide by clever phrasing usually.

He simply shook his head, the corner of his mouth lightly crooked into hint of a smile. "You know you are most welcome at all times, lovely Elena. I merely prefer a less dramatic arrival in the future however, if you get my meaning." he hinted lightly at her faint.

She grimaced slightly. "Sorry about that, I had to run all the way from Mystic Falls and make sure no blood was left behind to trace here. My body was giving out by the time I got here..." she muttered in contemplation. "But to answer your question, I was already on my way here after when the Pastor's men ambushed me, some close contacts of the council that served in the force. It is difficult to slip by those gorillas even with vampire speed and stealth." She gritted out bitterly.

"How many?" he asked, not liking this new development one bit.

"Nine at the ambush, two on the roof of a nearby building who had the perfect view as the group tried to assault me." She counted in her head. "I think that is all. They are recruiting numbers, some who have left years ago to pursue family and career elsewhere but they need them now. Rounding up vampires in not their main goal. I think they need such force for something greater, perhaps Klaus and his hybrids. They might make an attempt." She explained the development of the past two weeks since her transition.

"How did they become partial to the knowledge of your vampirism?" he asked.

Elena just shrugged. "An accident. Already taken care of. " yet something in her voice told him she was not quite telling the whole truth.

"Elena?" he asked softly, but she could see the determination in his eyes. He would just wear her down until she confessed.

"Alright, fine you win! Sadistic family, I swear..." he gave her a look at such an unpleasant, if not true comment, but she raised her chin defiantly. "It was your sister Rebekah. She threatened to expose Stefan, Damon and I to the whole city, but in the end settled for one of the girls cutting her hand open in front of me, in the middle of break time at the corridor and I could not help the change in my features."

Elena could see the very brief flash of rage in his gaze before his face was once more clearly composed to its usual polite self. She squeezed his hand momentarily. "Don't worry about it, her act of pettiness has already been reciprocated." She smiled slyly. And while the old Elena would not have done as something petty as revenge, desperate times called for desperate means. And while her unveiled identity posed a problem, she would at least get amusement at the blonde's expense in the process.

He raised a quizzical eyebrow. It seemed vampirism suited Elena very well, even though she still seemed to be getting used to her new senses by the way her eyes would shift occasionally, of her ear lean unconsciously towards a far off sound in distraction. "What have you done, sweet Elena? Or was it an act so cunning you are no longer befitting such a title?" he teased her, curious as to her doings.

The brunette chuckled. "Well I did have time to stop one of Klaus' hybrids and make him add a little something to her oil-based hair treatment. She always preaches about it so highly, I think it is time she proved her words." Her little smile was positively sadistic.

My-my, what have the Salvatores been teaching her? Of was she finally coming into her true nature with aid of her new senses? "You do realise my sister's blond hair is her pride." He drawled, knowing any retribution that would make his sister suffer would not be as humiliating as ruining her pride.

Elena just shrugged. "Of course. And for the record, she might not be blond anymore. I believe the box said 'vibrant pomegranate', or something of that sort." She added nonchalantly.

Elijah sat there mutely, looking at the feisty Petrova in front of him and the satisfaction in her eyes. She had put hair dye in his sister's products...and if there was something Rebekah hated more than hair dyes, it was redheads. Elena has officially started a war between them and his sister's wrath will have no end, yet the petite young woman in front of him did not seem concerned in the least. And while her revenge was petty, just like Rebekah's actions, he had to admit it was...hilarious actually.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips before he found himself laughing softly at her cunning tactics. She looked at him surprised as if perhaps instead of laughter she was expecting a reprimanding for being so silly and childish but he had to merely applaud her for her new found courage. She was a little spitfire and his loins threatened to stir at the passion in her doe eyes.

"Once again you surprise me, lovely Elena." He chuckled.

She returned his smile confidently. "It would do you no good to be as broody as Stefan. I have to say your forehead is in a much better shape, even considering the age difference." She was mocking him again, yet he could not only respond with a chuckle again, at her new found enthusiasm.

It was such a change from the confused and insecure young woman in her transition. And he welcomed the change, to see the Petrova fire burn bright and loud, for her potential seemed endless. His musings were interrupted by her voice, which now sounded much more tired.

"I need to shower and feed, but all my clothes will be wet from the rain I'm afraid." she mused, looking at him for confirmation.

He simply nodded and stood up, letting go of their joined hands that only now registered at a conscious level to his mind. He cleared his throat and motioned for the door at the side of the room. "I hope you like our accommodation. If not, feel free to look around for any other room that might suit your tastes. I shall bring you some clean clothing to change into and see to your other clothes."

She stood up carefully, holding the blanket to her chest. "That would not be necessary; I can hardly ask you to do my laundry. I would however appreciate if you could find a bag of O negative in your stock for when I am presentable?" she asked.

Elijah nodded again and left her to familiarise herself with her new surroundings in peace. He left one of his clean black shirts and pyjama trousers on her bed after making sure the shower was still running before heading into the kitchen to warm up a glass of blood for her. Truth be told, he was well informed of how the Salvatores aided her transition and the following training in the basic nature of vampires. She was strong and in a week became quite attuned to her senses, while they still had to deal with Niklaus and the council on their hands. On top of everything as the younger Gilbert informed him unknowingly, the competition and jealousy between the Salvatore brothers was starting to affect her moods, after she announced that she would rather have them both in her life as friends, than loose one of them by making a choice. It seemed they could not accept such a verdict and kept pressing her every chance they got.

Based on the information gained, he had stocked up on her favourite O negative and even some AB negative, a rare stock these days to perhaps share if she came for visit. Perhaps selfishly, he was hoping that the rivalry between the brothers would be the right impulse for her to seek his guidance for a change. And while he wished to help her in any way that was necessary, he could not help himself also merely enjoying her radiant presence. Such understanding and maturity in one so young of age, and her fire drew him into her Petrova charm, one so different from Tatia and Katerina he could not place it in words.

...

Elena groaned in pleasure as the scalding water warmed up her stiff and cold limbs. It has been a long day and all she longed for was a quiet evening away from everything. She did not tell either of the two where she was going, because Stefan would want to visit as much as possible and Damon would flat out flip because he disliked Elijah. She left a message saying she needed to go into hiding due to Rebekah's actions and promised she was safe, hoping they would not start badgering her immediately with phone calls and locator spells.

She did not get one moment of rest or peace in the last two weeks. The transition was smooth, but as Elijah warned her, her sense took a few days to get used to her. She could see, hear and feel everything with such intensity...she could even smell the Almond Kellogg's on the kitchen counter from her room, which provided endless entertainment to her mind. But she wished there were more moments like those. Caroline was too busy dealing with Klaus and his advances, Bonnie and Jeremy finally got back together and spent every free moment in each other's arms. She could not blame them for enjoying their human lives when time was so precious to them, she just wished for a friend to share her troubled mind with. The blonde Original was mostly just annoying, occasionally a bit vicious but she has dealt with the likes of Katherine before. What was the different between a psychotic bitch and a pissed off, thousand year old cheerleader? Probably in their wardrobe only...

The worst however was the rivalry between Stefan and Damon. And while she was aware it was all her doing, she had attempted to apologise and explain her confused feelings one afternoon after Ric's funeral. It was a sombre affair and he will be sorely missed, but they all loved him and for that he would remain in their hearts. That afternoon she could no longer bottle her thoughts up and explained herself to them both, apologising for any pain she unknowingly caused by her indecision and asked for their friendship.

How did they respond to her openness and honesty? Stefan tried to tell her it was merely her intense senses and emotions surely clouding her judgement for the moment and advised her to take her time in making the decision, as if the words of their friendship instead of making a choice did not register with him at all. Damon of course was a completely different story. He replied with his usual cutting sarcasm and called her a second Katherine. She saw red at that point and no matter how many times either of them tried to seek attention from her or physical manifestation of their connection, be it a hug or a kiss, she would refuse. Her intentions were clear, and mind made up. If they could not accept the fact that she was making her own decisions and wished to only see them as friends, they would have to face reality later when it is more painful. And that she could not prevent. So she tried to never be alone with either of them and always skirted around dangerous situations to get a moment of freedom. She felt hunted like prey, yet she fought every day as it came.

Now, she was with Elijah and already felt the tranquillity that saturated the beautiful old house. He was a man of hidden passions and emotions, yet she would occasionally catch a glimpse and the possibility of witnessing the other side to his calm, polite and courtly manner has always been intriguing. He was a man of two worlds as she understood him. Patient, collected, honourable and family oriented. All the qualities she held in high regard as well. Yet there were moment she could see rage, passion, amusement...his words teasing or downright mocking on occasion, rightfully so as well because of his status.

She was enjoying the new powerful blood pumping through her immortal veins, the sense of confidence in being who she truly is a blessing. Yet for her it was all new and fresh. Did Elijah even remember his human days? What sort of a man was he once upon a time? And what did he think of her? Was she another Petrova that reminded him of affections past, or someone he valued in their own right?

All of these questions and many more were coursing through her mind as she twisted the towel in her hair into a turban, securely tucked around her long her long naturally wavy wet locks. The trousers he left for her were a bit too long but at least had string to tie at the hips. And the shirt smelled of camomile fabric softener and his unique scent mixed with the spicy cedar wood cologne she came to associate with him. She rolled the sleeves up carefully and padded down the old wooden staircase to the main hall and looked for the kitchen until she stumbled upon it around the corner.

The house was large, as was to be expected from a man of his standards, and equipped with modern utensils. A secret passionate cook? Another puzzle piece to form his image in her mind.

...

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of bare feet approaching softly. Elena has always carried herself with the slight awkwardness of a teenage woman still learning her body. Yet after becoming a vampire, he noticed her walk became more elegant, naturally almost predatory to draw attention of a prey. It was an intriguing development to watch.

He poured some of the wine he opened so it could breathe before adding half a glass of blood, mixing the enticing combination carefully. "Right on time." He addressed the brunette who had just entered without turning to her.

"One warm O negative for the guest." He smiled and handed her the glass as she came to stand next to him.

"Oooh, thanks." She drank eagerly, her features shifting the moment the scent hit her sensitive senses and he watched with amusement as the whole content of the large glass disappeared in mere moments. It was of course understandable, after all she had been wounded yet he still found her feeding fascinating, not having witnessed it before.

He took his glass after she was done and a content smile graced her features, and led her to the main parlour again. "If you go down the stairs, there will be a long hall. The second door on the left if the laundry room, if you wish to proceed with your wardrobe."

"Yes, thank you." she smiled and disappeared out of sight with her large bad.

He took a sip from his drink, making himself comfortable at the end of the couch and picked up one of the books with Auden's poetry for a pleasant evening. The skies were darkening rapidly as the hour progressed and he was grateful for the fire burning nearby that would warm their immortal flesh.

He contemplated the freshness of her features, so soft, a hint of rose in her cheeks after her shower. His scent has mingled with the naturally alluring scent of her blood and soft jasmine perfume, a gift from her late aunt Jenna if he remembered correctly. His clothing was of course too large for her, yet she looked perfectly at place in his home and while the thought was quite pleasant and warming, he found himself slightly disconcerted at how well she actually fit into his life. She seemed very accepting of his presence, and while it has been that way in the past as well, with his blood in her system, they shared a bond.

She could not yet feel it surely, for she was too young. But he could sense her whereabouts and general mood most of the time if he focused in on her. He preferred to give her the privacy and mentally shut the bond off, but there will come a time when it will strengthen. Bonds between vampires were a tricky occurrence. One could never quite be sure about them. Klaus had his hybrids bound to him by the sire bond, his sister had a bond shared a bond of power with one of her witch friends, who would often supply her in exchange for protection and a powerful allegiance to the Original family. However the bond fastened between Elena and him was one of creation. Unlike the sire bond, he would be the one with the ability to sense and protect her, as one tied to their family. The next of kin, the top of his line. And it would only strengthen in time, or so he found himself hoping.

"What are you reading?" he heard a soft voice behind him. Elena was apparently back and leaning over his shoulder to see the title of the book in his lap.

"British poetry, Auden." He answered and motioned for her to join him.

She sat on the other side of the couch before turning sideways and pulling her legs up on the seat between them. "Would you read me some of his work? I have never studied him before." She asked with a small smile. His baritone was so enjoyable to her vampire ears, she could not help the request.

He just smiled and nodded before taking another sip from his glass and taking off his suit jacket to make himself more comfortable.

She leaned against the arm rest and slid a bit lower in her seat, her bare toes digging into the soft cream coloured sofa to not slide into his personal space if unwanted.

And so he begun.

"O Tell Me The Truth About Love, by W H Auden." He smiled and looked down at the page to continue.

" _Some say love's a little boy, _

_And some say it's a bird, _

_Some say it makes the world go around,_

_Some say that's absurd, _

_And when I asked the man next-door, _

_Who looked as if he knew, _

_His wife got very cross indeed, _

_And said it wouldn't do._

_Does it look like a pair of pyjamas, _

_Or the ham in a temperance hotel? _

_Does its odour remind one of llamas, _

_Or has it a comforting smell? _

_Is it prickly to touch as a hedge is, _

_Or soft as eiderdown fluff? _

_Is it sharp or quite smooth at the edges? _

_O tell me the truth about love._

_Our history books refer to it _

_In cryptic little notes, _

_It's quite a common topic on_

_The Transatlantic boats; _

_I've found the subject mentioned in_

_Accounts of suicides, _

_And even seen it scribbled on_

_The backs of railway guides._

_Does it howl like a hungry Alsatian, _

_Or boom like a military band? _

_Could one give a first-rate imitation_

_On a saw or a Steinway Grand? _

_Is its singing at parties a riot? _

_Does it only like Classical stuff? _

_Will it stop when one wants to be quiet? _

_O tell me the truth about love."_

He looked at her smiling face and dropping eyelids, soon she wound be asleep, as it should be after such injuries. He softened his voice into a more soothing one and continued.

"_I looked inside the summer-house; _

_It wasn't over there; _

_I tried the Thames at Maidenhead, _

_And Brighton's bracing air. _

_I don't know what the blackbird sang, _

_Or what the tulip said; _

_But it wasn't in the chicken-run, _

_Or underneath the bed._

_Can it pull extraordinary faces? _

_Is it usually sick on a swing? _

_Does it spend all its time at the races, _

_or fiddling with pieces of string? _

_Has it views of its own about money? _

_Does it think Patriotism enough? _

_Are its stories vulgar but funny? _

_O tell me the truth about love._

_When it comes, will it come without warning_

_Just as I'm picking my nose? _

_Will it knock on my door in the morning, _

_Or tread in the bus on my toes? _

_Will it come like a change in the weather? _

_Will its greeting be courteous or rough? _

_Will it alter my life altogether? _

_O tell me the truth about love."_

He finished and quietly closed the book as he noticed she has fallen asleep completely. Her face was so innocent, bare and young. A muse to any man. He lifted her up smoothly in his arms and carried her slowly up the stairs, fearing awakening her. She mumbled something too soft to recognise as words before turning her head into his chest, her nose nuzzling his breast bone in an unconscious gesture of trust. He froze for a moment before carefully placing her in the bed and with one last look at her content face, shut the door softly.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: A chapter inspired by my morning workout ;) Enjoy sweethearts and let me know what you think. BTW, the bond will be further explored, I can promise that. What I can't promise is stopping Rebekah from revenge ;) Look out Elena! **

**Always and Forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

Sleep would not come to Elijah that night, Elena's presence in his house to new. As she was in such a close proximity, he could sense her more clearly through their bond, the peaceful healing slumber she was in pleasant to his mind. He sat in his study, looking over scrolls that would reveal more about the bond of creation they shared, surprised to find new information that could possibly be disquieting.

His next of kin, the first vampire he has ever turned was a Viking named Morten. He was a strong warrior and became a close companion who provided for his safety as they travelled. Niklaus was never particularly fond of his as he himself turned a female and did not appreciate the advantage Elijah had with the creation bond. Morten, a man of few words yet wise ones, has decided to go his own way after a few centuries which proved fatal to him. Elijah could still remember the day a sharp pain tugged at his mind and chest when their bond was severed by the white oak stake in Niklaus' hand. That was the beginning of his wavering loyalty.

Yet according to the scroll in front of him, if the bond of creation was forged between opposite sexes, it could lead to the development of bond more romantic in nature. Tatia's blood created him, Katerina severed his bond with Niklaus, and perhaps Elena was destined to be under his protection as the one that brought Elijah and his hybrid brother together once again, if not in cause then in close proximity.

Elijah was able to sense her fondness and trust towards him, yet did not believe her affections for him were of a romantic nature. He himself doubted his own affections as he once promised himself not to get his heart involved again, yet he knew from the moment he had learned of her death that he would always protect her, no matter how close this bond may bring them. And always was a long time for a vampire...

The old clock in the parlour chimed the eighth morning hour and he heard Elena stir in her bed. A soft vibrating sound caught his attention and gathered it must be her phone. Annoyance spiked through her, most likely not appreciative of being woken up quite so soon and a soft sigh escaped her lips before she pressed a button to answer the phone. Elijah leaned back in his chair and listened unabashedly.

"Hello?" she asked, the linen pulled over her body shifting slightly. She must have sat up in her bed.

"Really, Elena? A hello is all I get? Where the fuck are you? All you leave is a note and disappear to God knows where." Damon's pissed off voice sounded over the phone.

The brunette just rolled her eyes at his language and leaned against the headboard. "Well if God knows where I am, why don't you ask him? Though I always took you for an atheist..." she replied cheekily, sarcasm dripping from every word and Elijah stifled a chuckle, knowing Elena would hear him clearly if he let it out.

Damon hissed at her teasing. "This is no time for you to go off gallivanting into the sunrise for a field trip. We could have protected you from the council if you would have let us."

"Oh really?" Elena mocked with a soft annoyed huff. "Rebekah has already revealed my identity; it is only a matter of time before she reveals yours. Since Mrs Forbes is not in the office anymore, at least we can count on her not to spill her knowledge about you, but she can't protect you either. And with her being powerless and the council recruiting, I think I am very safe out of Mystic Falls right now."

"Rebekah will not reveal Stefan's or mine identity. We know that for a fact." He growled at her over the phone.

"And how can you be so sure about that?" she countered. Stefan may be safe due to his history with the blond Original, but she hardly had any warm feelings towards Damon.

Suddenly she heard footsteps on the other side of the line, a moment of struggle before a new voice sounded over the phone. "Where are you, you little bitch? I will hunt you and destroy you for what you have done!" Rebekah's screeching was almost deafening and Elena quickly pulled the phone away from her ear.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Rebekah." She said calmly, keeping her face blank because if she allowed herself a grin, a chuckle could slip next and reveal her.

"Don't play stupid! Not that you would have to try hard... the hair dye, you doppelganger wench!" she positively screamed.

Elena winced slightly at the volume, but stood her ground firmly. "I left rather in a hurry after you revealed my nature to the whole school, and you just called me stupid yourself. How could I have anything to do with a hair dye from miles away?" she asked, perfectly politely.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me, Gilbert." The blonde on the other side of the line growled at her.

Elena caught movement in her periphery vision and turned to see Elijah silently opening the door, a finger pressed to his lips, asking her to remain silent about his presence.

"Come on Rebekah, what colour is your hair anyway since you said something about a hair dye?" she asked cheekily, smiling at the man leaning against her doorframe. He leaned his head to the side in amusement and she motioned for him to come inside, patting the side of her bed in invitation.

The Original was momentarily surprised how comfortable she was with him. Hair tousled from sleep, eyes still slightly bleary but face still fresh just as she went to bed. He was used to ladies being careful about their morning appearance, but Elena just smiled and let him see her even at a moment like this. Then again, after tending to her wounds, which required almost stripping her half way, what was a bit of morning breath? He pressed his lips together to stifle a chuckle and sat next to her against the headboard just as his sister started a rant about gingers.

He would roll his eyes at his sister's ridiculous antics, but considered even such a response too much effort not worth his time and opened his palm for the phone. Elena handed it to him with a large grin, and laid back down, arms beneath her head as she closed her eyes. Oh she would savour the moment when the bimbo would be reprimanded.

"And good morning to you too, dear sister. How...pleasant it is to hear you screech at such an early hour." Elijah drawled, cutting through her never ending rant.

There were a couple of gasps on the other line and Elena chuckled, completely amused at the way he spoke to Rebekah.

"Elijah? You are with that wench?" another screech from the blond, well currently ginger if her previous rant was anything to go by.

"No fucking way! She is not with that...bastard." growled Damon in the background.

Elijah noticed Elena frown slightly at the insult to his person, only making his crooked smile wider.

"Hey, that is my brother you are speaking off!" exclaimed Rebekah.

"And of course Mr Salvatore, always a pleasure" he drawled yet again, sarcasm lacing each word heavily.

"What are you doing with her?" growled Damon close to the phone.

"And why are you protecting her?! After what she has done to me!" added his sister.

Elena rolled her eyes at their antics before suddenly realising something she has overlooked before and sat up again, closed to the man's side, the phone now between them and the heat of her body radiating into his side.

"And what is Rebekah doing with you Damon?" she asked with a frown.

There was a moment of silence over the line, a confession enough for her.

"Oh my God, you two are *still* at it?!" she exclaimed, completely disbelieving. "So you are going to reprimand me for seeking safety from council, after all the time you have tried to keep me alive and especially when someone as strong as Elijah can provide it, while you yourself are shacking up together? Speak about hypocrisy Damon! She was the one to out me to the whole town!" she growled.

"And while you may not like Elijah, he has never willingly hurt me and only retaliated against you if he had cause. Rebekah is pissed off just because I daggered her due to her liability, which I have apologised for, and only holds a petty grudge. Not to mention she has tried to kill me several times. And you keep on sleeping with her?" she shook her head, took the phone out of Elijah's hand and frowned at the screen.

"Good bye, Damon." She said dispassionately and pressed the end button, cutting off any response from the annoying duo.

"Does it not bother you that your sister is sleeping with Damon?" she asked.

"Rebekah is my sister, I rather not think at all about her...sexual ventures." He shrugged slightly. "However I must admit she could do much better than Mr Salvatore." He said nonchalantly, realising that by extent he was referring to Elena who could do better as well, but it seemed to slip the brunette's notice.

She sighed wearily and rubbed her eyes. "I feel like punching something..." she growled.

"There is a training room in the basement; you are free to use it at your convenience." He said, amused by her feistiness.

"A training room? You have a training room?" she asked, completely surprised at such a notion. "Do you use it?" she blurted before catching herself.

Elijah merely chuckled in amusement. "Of course. It holds some of my precious weaponry. Feel free to call me sentimental, yet I find sword a comforting weight in my hand." He admitted.

He sensed her embarrassment before her cheeks became tinted with rose. He raised an eyebrow in inquiry, for that was not the reaction he expected.

"I guess I just always took you for the lover, not the fighter type." She blurted yet again, momentarily horrified at her tongue getting the best of her. "What I meant is that you appear to be more of a pacifist...even though you have a habit of tearing hearts out, literally." She hastened to add, but only kept digging herself deeper with her words and thoughts. "I'm sorry; I haven't had my morning coffee yet..."

Elena groaned in embarrassment but his responding chuckle surprised her. She looked up to see amusement in his dark eyes as he got off the bed and headed for the door.

"A fact that shall be remedied soon, after you make yourself presentable." he grinned before turning towards her in the doorway, his hand already on the handle. "Oh, and might I add that while I am naturally a lover, you do not know much of my history if you do not consider me a fighter." He grinned and closed the door, leaving a stunned Elena behind.

...

Elena took another long shower and found her dried clothing neatly folded in a basket on her bed upon her return to the bedroom. Her mind was still baffled at his words. Truth be told, she knew very little of his life, only a parts of it were revealed to her, about Katherine while they talked about the curse almost a year and a half ago, and the story about Tatia that Stefan told her after that blasted dinner party when they tried to make a deal about *her life* behind her back. She still felt anger and betrayal whenever reminded of their dealings. But she wanted to know more about Elijah's life, how it feels to watch the face of the Earth change, civilisations grow or wither.

What surprised her even more was his admission of naturally being a lover. Of course, he was a strong man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties, a young virile age. Not enjoying sex in a thousand years would be utterly ridiculous. But rational thought soon lead to her imagination, spiked by his words, and she could not help herself look at the man in a different light.

While naturally handsome as all vampires were, he was also powerful and learned, the knowledge sparking in his dark eyes. What kind of a lover would Elijah be? A sweet and tender one, like his reserved nature and poetic inclinations suggested? Or a demanding and passionate one, revealing his polite propriety to only be a visage? Maybe a blend of both to prove that there were more sides to his nature that met the eye?

She shook her head to clear her mind, admittingly finding her speculative thoughts more intriguing than she probably should be. With the Salvatores still not receptive of her wishes for friendship, another complication was certainly not what she needed. What Elena wanted was independence, be on her own for a while perhaps and see how it suited her.

She pulled on her yoga pants and a turquoise hoodie, zipped it up and was ready to go, pulling her long hair up into a ponytail on her way. Now if only she could find the training room. Coffee first though...

Elijah was standing at the counter with a cup of fresh coffee for her and a small round...fruit?

"What is that?" she asked, looking at the exotic plant. It was dark and round on the outside and nice and orange on the inside, with seeds. And it smelled...kind of sour but sweet at the same time. The man dipped a spoon in, gathering a few seeds and juices before offering it to her.

"This, lovely Elena, is a passion fruit. I may no longer require human food, yet some flavours I cannot resist." He smiled and she let her lips encase the offered mouthful, letting her new vampire taste buds do their work. It was new, she never got exotic with her fruits before, preferring the simple taste of strawberries and oranges, but this was...

"Yummy. I like it!" she smiled.

He chuckled at her joy, almost like a child with a new toy. He cut another one open and handed it to her with a spoon. She dug in happily and had both halves finished in no time.

"Can you cook with it?" she asked.

"What can you not cook with?" he chuckled. "Culinary skills and experimentation are what make a meal adequate after all."

"I will have to try and put it in a desert. Do we have some more?" she asked and noticed a bowl filled with them. "Good. I can cook tonight. Probably not as good as your highness has tasted before, but homemade food is what it is." She grinned cheekily.

He just shook his head as he watched her down a cup of coffee and motioned for her to follow him into the basement. "I have never been a highness but they have called me Lord before. I still am one actually by title."

She just looked at him surprised. "You are pulling my leg now." she whispered disbelievingly.

"I assure you, I am not. Your legs are perfectly safe around me." He said, realising how it sounded and watched the rosy blush cover her cheeks. She truly was lovely. Feisty and fiery, yet innocent and naive in her own way still as a young woman. Hopefully vampirism will aid her growth.

They entered quite a spacious training room, filled with mats, a boxing sack hanging from the wall in the corner and on the side were several large glass cases holding weapons of all sorts that made her gasp. Swords, daggers, katanas, knives... some were simple, other with jewelled handles, all shiny and surely very sharp. But one in particular caught her eye. It was sword, made of fine gleaming steel. Long and thin with an ornate handle and what looked to be something engraved in the fine blade.

"Is that a rune?" she asked, looking at it closely.

Elijah nodded. "Does it seem familiar?" he asked with a smile, knowing Elena had seen the names of their family carved into the side of the cave.

The brunette thought about it for a moment before the brow straightened from its musings. "Is it not the one your name starts with? Does it stand for E?"

He chuckled. "Well done, Elena. I am impressed at your memory. And that is indeed my initial. One of my most precious swords." He smiled and opened the case, offering it to her. "Careful, it is very sharp. I have not parted with it since I was a human myself." He added softly.

She looked up, startled at his willing admission. "Will you tell me more?" she asked tentatively, not wishing to take the offering and ask for too much.

Elijah remained silent for awhile, taking the sword back from her and let his fingers gently pass over the blade, careful of the sharp edges. Just as she was about to turn and go explore more at his silence, words from his lips filled the room, voice soft and eyes distant with memory.

"Mikael has once told me that when Finn as his eldest married, I would become the one to aid him as the oldest son under the patriarch of the family. Finn's marriage to Sage occurred when I was already 27 years of age, without a wish to marry at the time." He said and noticed her surprised expression for the first time.

"Yes, Sage and Finn were actually married as humans. And he turned her for he could not stand the notion of his love dying on him. That was before Niklaus daggered him and Sage fled." He explained.

Elena nodded and sat down on the ground, listening intently. Elijah sat across from her, leaning back on one of his strong arms, the white shirt stretching around his firm chest as his elegant hand caressed the blade gently.

"The story I am about to recall for you is one of blood and may forever alter your idea of the man I am." He warned her and she nodded in understanding, yet not knowing what to expect.

"I was thirty years of age when Mikael turned our whole family. Well, apart from mother who died shortly at Niklaus' hands as we know now. We have sworn to remain loyal to each other, Niklaus, Rebekah and I. That we would protect each other. A few years later, we have found ourselves back in Europe, our previous home, a country now known as Norway..."

_Heavy wet snow covered the ground, their horses gallivanting through the country in search of the one man who has turned them into these beasts. They have sworn to get revenge on him for what he has done to their mother and them, his own offspring so full of life yet now dead. Rebekah was taking it the hardest, still so young, only 18 years of age and already forsaken to never bare children, the one duty and pleasure she had been looking forward to coming from such a large family. It was only them now and they had to look out for each other. _

_New abilities have been discovered. They could alter a mere human's mind and so they did. Gaining fortunes, feeding and finding shelter where ever they pleased, until they came to the village once their home. _

_Their previous house, built with the very hands of Mikael, Finn and Elijah stood in ruins, the whole village slaughtered at their feet. The only house left standing was the blacksmith's hut. They jumped of their horses and looked around at the dead bodies littering the ground, throats torn out and blood spilling on the flood. Precious life force that was lost to their veins and to the vampires' lips. _

"_Mikael...he must have been here..." whispered Rebekah, averting her tearful eyes from the scene, turning into her brother's chest. _

_Niklaus held her close, gently carding his fingers through the blond locks. "Do not worry yourself, dear sister. We will get our revenge."_

_Elijah suddenly hushed them and listened carefully, his senses pricking at another presence and soon he noticed a tall figure in the shadows about to attack from their backs. He quickly turned and had the human pressed into the ground with a hiss, his features yet not controllable changing._

_It was a man, taller than them all with strong shoulders yet no match for Elijah's immortal strength._

"_Ta meg til etterlivet nå, monster du" growled the man through the pressure on his throat in their native tongue._

_Elijah loosened his grip. "We are not the monsters who did this to the village. And we do not want to part you from this world for the afterlife, Viking. Speak your name." He commanded._

"_Morten. Son of Morsliag." He said and Elijah helped him up on his feet._

"_What happened here?" he enquired, putting his sword away for the moment._

"_A creature, when the moon was at its peak attacked. They pleaded and begged, but he killed and burnt the village down. Yet upon seeing my face, he stopped and fled." Explained the Viking._

"_It must have been father." whispered Rebekah. "And he must have known the Viking. What age are you?" she asked softly. _

"_Two and thirty winters." Answered the man._

_Elijah nodded. "We come from this village, he must have known you or your father or you would have been dead. Tell us, do you want revenge for your people? For our people?" he asked firmly._

_The Viking nodded, his long blond hair whipping around his face in the wind that was becoming quite harsh. "You lead, I follow."_

_Elijah stepped forward and bit into his wrist, making the sweet immortal blood flow. "Then drink, and hunt the one that we hunt. The one that brought you suffering. Join our ranks and you shall be rewarded." He promised as the Viking accepted his wrist._

_He drank greedily, the sweet blood pleasant to taste before pulling away. "Is that my new fate?" he asked._

"_No, this is." And with a swift move, Elijah pulled his sword out and pressed it into the man's chest. _

_The Viking fell to his knees in agony, eyes full of betrayal. _

"_Fear not the mortal death. Afterlife will not claim you. You will join us soon." Said Elijah tenderly, helping lie on the ground. _

"He was your first of kin. The first man you turned..." whispered the brunette across from him when the memory ceased its hold over the Original.

He nodded and looked upon the blade one more. "He was the one to engrave the initials into our swords as a new beginning for all of us."

Elena was silent for a moment. "He forgave you for killing him?" she asked softly.

Elijah nodded. "Eventually. The bond of creation is precious. He came to realise it soon after awakening and pledged his loyalty. His desiccation was a pain, both physical and one for the mind." He admitted.

"What of our bond?" Elena asked tentatively.

Elijah stood up and placed the sword back in the case. "That is a discussion for another time. Now I believe you wished to 'punch something'." He chuckled. "So I shall leave you to your agenda. If you wish for my company, I shall be in the study next to my bedroom." He said and left her to her thoughts.

Elena sat there for a while, digesting his words. He has killed, turned and God knows what else in the past. Was he not the man she had hoped? Or was she too naive to consider that as an Original his history was not all Teletubbies and rainbows. She huffed in frustration at the enigmatic man and went to kick the life out of boxing bag. But one thing she was sure about, she needed to know more. About the man himself and the bond between them...


	4. Chapter 4,1

**AN: Here is the next chapter sweethearts, I do hope you enjoy it ;) Darker times are ahead for our favourite couple, but as we know they are both strong, so keep your fingers crossed! Your reviews are very helpful, and I apologise for any confusion with my tense use, please remember that I am not a native speaker unfortunately. I am still ill so bare with my slower-than-usual updates please x R&R my dears ;)**

**Always and Forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

A week has passed now since Elena's dramatic arrival at Elijah's doorstep and they have settled into an easy routine. Elijah did not require much sleep as an Original and preferred being awake during the night time, over watching the sun rise on the horizon. He got used to waking up and hearing Elena's soft grunts of strain as she fought imaginary beasts or worked out her frustrations with the prevailing calls from the Salvatores on the boxing bag in the basement.

He would get up and make them both breakfast, marvelling at how easy it was to enjoy human food in the brunette's company. As a fairly new vampire, Elena still required regular food to curb in her blood cravings and he has decided to make it easier for her by always preparing them something light yet balanced to break the fast. While her soft curves covered lean muscle, she was not a woman who ate like a bird. He always made sure to make her omelettes out of at least four eggs and watched with hidden fascination as her appetite took over and she devoured her plate happily, soft noises of appreciation escaping her throat on occasion. She was a truly intriguing young woman and he was not quite used to reading her reactions well just yet. Thankful for the bond that has been growing stronger with their proximity, he could at least know when she was in distress or whether a remark of his made her embarrassed before the lovely rose tinted her cheeks.

Their evenings were usually spent in the parlour by the fire with a book, or in an exchange of memories from times past, or childhood in Elena's case. After telling her the story of Morten's mortal death, he chose lighter memories that came to the forefront of his mind and shared those he could remember. Even though Elena has not shown any change in her behaviour after that first memory, he could feel her gaze upon him on occasion and her mind seemed to be in deep contemplation, her emotions varying drastically from one moment to the next. He could still feel the underlining sense of fondness and trust towards him, yet he wondered how she perceived him at the current moment, and how that would change with the revelation about their bond.

"EEEP!" a cry roused Elijah from his thoughts as he got up and in a flash stood in the doorframe, looking at the mess previously known as his kitchen.

"Mordred and Morgana..." he chuckled softly, centuries spent in Britain undeniable in the hint of an accent and occasional phrasing.

Elena was still on the floor, her jeans covered in a light dusting of flower, what looked to be an oily spot on her blue sweater and hair a complete mess. At that moment she looked so human Elijah's hands were extra gentle as he pulled her up off the floor.

"May I inquire about the purpose of this...exercise?" he asked, his face completely blank but she could now see the almost imperceptible tick in the corner of his mouth, as if he was preventing a grin from slipping on his face.

"I... am baking." She rolled her shoulders and tried to get most of the flour off herself, only smearing it further.

"You do realise that making a mess out of my kitchen does not bring you any closer to being an apt baker?" he chuckled at her state. She appeared to struggle between doing everything at human speed and baking with her new vampire abilities. It was amusing to watch in the least.

"Do you tear people's hearts out because you want to be an apt cardiologist?" she flipped back cheekily as she mixed a slightly lumpy dough.

Elijah merely chuckled at her logic, but the points for that particular round went to her, he had to admit that. "No, I do that because the hearts' owners irritate me. As does this mess." He leaned against the refrigerator and watched with arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Apologies your lordship," she drawled sarcastically, "I find baking fun, your equivalent of tearing hearts out. At least my fun sounds a bit less psychotic. So allow me to attempt this...what am I doing again?" she looked at the cook book. "Oh right, pecan pie." She grinned at her choice.

Elijah chuckled. "I have been allergic to nuts in my human time, even as a child. I ate one and it took mother three days to heal me completely." His eyes had a faraway look to them. He was not exactly fond of remembering his human days but he did not find it unacceptable either.

Elena looked positively surprised at how freely he told her of his childhood. Elijah chuckled at the curiosity positively radiating in waves off her. "You wish to know more..." he guessed easily.

She just shrugged and nodded. "You don't talk of your human days. And I get it, a thousand years of being a vampire; you kinda forget what you used to be like I guess. I just want to know what it was like in your times." she offered a small smile.

"You have a little scar on your chest. Where the buttons of your shirt meet." She suddenly blurted, focusing on the dough a little too intently as small flecks flew in all directions at her vigorous mixing skills.

His brow rose in surprise at her observation of his person and wondered how closely has she actually been looking?

"Yes, my collarbone was broken and left permanent scarring." He explained the origin.

"When you were human?" Elena finally raised her doe eyes to Elijah's dark ones, their momentary stillness only broken by a curt nod from the man.

"Well, will you tell me how it happened?" she coaxed, interested in that story. A play fight with his siblings? Work? Battle injury? They were all possible.

Elijah sighed almost inaudibly and pulled out a chair, one not covered in any substance, before making himself comfortable. "Very well. As you know, there is an age difference between all of us as siblings. Finn and I were the closest, only two years separating our birth days. Niklaus was born when I was six years of age, Kol when I was nine, Rebekah when I was twelve and Henrik...he was just a boy and I was almost a round twenty years of age at the time of his birth." He reminisced, his voice soft yet clear.

Elena stopped mixing to listen to his words and grabbed a towel to wipe her hands. "So Klaus was what...24 when he transitioned? I can't believe that, he definitely looks older..." she grumbled.

"Times were different then Elena, harsher. We had to survive ordeals that leave your skin wrinkled with worry and body much shorter of life." Elijah reminded her gently.

"Well yeah, but I mean you look 30, which if I counted right, was how old you were when you turned. Klaus just looks...I don't know...must be his tourist clothes." She shrugged.

"Tourist clothes?" he questioned with a chuckle.

"Oh come on you have to admit his fashion sense is a bit...eccentric or eclectic or whatever the word I am looking for is. He should not even attempt to lure Caroline into his charm, with her pedantic approach to style and trends." Elena rolled her eyes.

Elijah just hummed in his throat at her remark. "It is astonishing how you still care for human gossip. I never took you for a lady of such inclination."

Elena shook her head. "That is hardly gossip. Caroline is the only person, who is freaking out about my safety but doesn't call or message me in order to wear me down into returning." The 'unlike Stefan and Damon' remained unspoken but they were both very much aware of the thought hanging between them.

"I'm sorry for distracting you. Please continue with the story about your family and that scar?" she asked and leaned against the flour-covered sink with her back to be able to face him.

Elijah sat in silence for a moment, taking his time to organise his thoughts. "Finn was soon married after Henrik's birth, and built his own house close to ours at the outskirts of the village. Yet it meant he spent less time with the family. While I aided my father, Kol always found himself in some sort of trouble or exploration. Rebekah was almost inseparable from Niklaus' hip and Henrik was growing stronger and taller every day. "

Here he paused for a moment. "You need to understand, lovely Elena, that child mortality was high then and if a child lived past the first 5 years of age, it was considered blessed by the Gods. Mother has lost one of our siblings after Kol was born and while I could see it pained her, we never spoke of it for such was the custom. It was inevitable."

He offered a tight small smile. She could see it was not easy for him to talk about his human days. Perhaps that was why the whole family enjoyed being vampires, well apart from Finn. Not only were they powerful but they would no longer suffer the hardships associated with illness, survival or weather that they had to battle as ones born of their time.

"Surprisingly Henrik has grown closest to me. I was the one tending to him and entertaining him with games when father did not need me or when mother was tired from casting so many protective charms upon the village. We worked united, as a family, each of us with an agenda of their own yet helped where we could, especially with Mikael being so temperamental... While raising a child is woman's work, I felt myself content to contribute and Henrik enjoyed the attention of the older brothers." A small nostalgic smile slipped on his face at the memory of the fateful day.

"It was a few months prior to Henrik's passing from the werewolf scratch. He asked me to teach him how to ride a horse, so naturally I agreed after promising mother to keep him safe...

"_Elijah! Where are you taking our little brother?" called Rebekah as she ran over to them. His milk and honey sister, the beauty of the village and Mikael's pride as the only daughter in his family. She was soon to be married to a man from their village, a good choice. He would make her happy, a strong man of position within their circles and hands roughened from honest work._

"_We are going to learn how to ride a horse, isn't that right Henrik?" asked Elijah playfully, pulling his younger brother up on his shoulders. "Careful of the branches!" he called. _

_Henrik giggled as any happy child would. "Our brother is taking me to the horses and he will teach me how to ride like a man!" he exclaimed as Rebekah fell in step with them._

"_Oh may I please join you, dear brother? You know I love those beautiful creatures!" she took his hand and pressed a sisterly kiss to his palm to gain favour. _

_Elijah merely chuckled. "Alright, but you need to be careful and listen to my command." He agreed and led the dancing blonde and his grinning brother to the meadow where his horse Loki fed on the little remains of greenery. _

"_Careful now, always approach a horse from the front." He said and put Henrik down before taking Loki's reigns and soothing him by rubbing his smooth chocolate coat._

"_There now, come Rebekah, you first." He smiled and let the blonde approach. Loki seemed to like her well enough and Elijah was glad his stallion was behaving for once. _

_He turned to smile at their little brother he was to come next but noticed with a panic that he was gone. He looked around with frantic eyes before noticing the ten-year-old approaching the horse from the back. _

"_Henrik! No! Step away!" he called but it was too late. He ran around the stallion's side to get to his brother but Loki has already noticed him there and was preparing for a kick. All Elijah managed to do was push his little brother out of the way before receiving the blow from the solid metal horseshoe in his collarbone. An intense pain was all he could remember before the blackness surrounded his vision..._

"Mother's magic aided in healing the bone and to shorten the recovery, yet the scarring could not be prevented. It is one of the very few that remain from my human days." Elijah finished the story and his vacant eyes focused yet again on the brunette who has flashed to stand in front of him and spontaneously embraced him, still covered in flower and all.

Elijah found himself momentarily rigid, not used to Elena crossing into his personal space. She was also transferring flower on his suit, which most likely cost more than her whole wardrobe. Yet Elijah finally relaxed in her hold after a moment of contemplating the brunette's spontaneous actions and returned the affectionate gesture. A shock similar to electric current suddenly passed through their bodies and they instantly separated with a soft hiss from both their lips.

"What in the blazes was that?" asked Elena disbelievingly, looking at her hands that had just a moment ago touched the man's wide back in a comforting hug.

"It must have been the bond..." whispered Elijah softly, disbelief clear in his eyes as well but his whisper was not soft enough for Elena caught it.

"The bond?" she asked again and with a new determination turned the oven on and carelessly turned away from the mess on the kitchen counter. "I think it is time we talked about this bond of ours you keep referring to. And if you think I will take no for an answer, I think it's my duty to remind you I am a Petrova." she said evenly, arms crossed over her chest.

What was a man to do? Elijah nodded and motioned for her to follow him up into the study. These could very well be the last peaceful moments of their coexistence, all depending on Elena's reaction. Elijah braced himself and opened the door to the study...

**End of Part 1.  
Part 2 out tomorrow.**


	5. Chapter 4,2

**AN: My sweethearts, I apologise profusely for leaving you hanging with only half a chapter last night, yet my body has decided to give up on me. I wanted to share at least all that I have written for your pleasure, and here is the second half of my labours. Much love and appreciation for putting up with me and my illness x**

**Always and Forever,**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

Elena sat at his desk completely stunned, the scrolls slipping from her fingers as she took all the information in. Elijah poured himself a stiff drink and stood leaning against the mantle over the small fireplace in his study as he observed her silently. A myriad of emotions was coursing through her, the predominant one confusion and he knew many questions were to follow the revelation.

"Can I have some of that?" she asked softly and leaned back in the soft leather chair.

Elijah poured her a double but she just downed it with a small shudder at the slight bite at her throat and extended her hand for another one. He indulged her and poured her another, relieved to see her sipping the strong Russian vodka this time.

"So it can possibly make me have feelings for you, this bond." She concluded but he instantly negated it by shaking his head.

"No, not even a sire bond can do that. The best way for you to understand it is to know the differences between the three types of bond we as vampires recognise." he answered and made himself comfortable in the armchair across from her.

"Enlighten me please." She drawled sarcastically, obviously not at all enamoured with the prospect of a bond that could influence her.

"You need to keep an open mind towards my words, lovely Elena, otherwise you will not let reason sway the opinion you have already formed." He stressed.

Elena just watched him for a moment before downing the rest of her drink, closing her eyes for a moment to let the warmth spread through her before leaning back and facing him properly.

"Fine, explain." She said curtly.

Elijah nodded. "Very well. There are three main bonds we recognise; the bond of power, a sire bond and the bond of creation. I will start with the most simple one, the bond of power. My sister shares a bond in this form with one of the elder witches. It is bound by magic and honest intent; otherwise there would be no profit for either side. The witch and several next generations of her clan are sworn to be protected by the vampire in power, in this case my sister, and if any further aid is needed from the witch, she can negotiate protection that reaches further down the line. For example, Rebekah may be sworn to protect five next generations of the witch's line at the moment, but if she were to request help from the powerful witch, she would be made to add two more generations, promising to protect a total of seven generations of the witch's bloodline." He tried to explain reasonably.

"Okay, what does Rebekah get out of this?" she asked.

Elijah smiled. "Anything from daylight rings, to breaking curses and aiding our family. Unfortunately, Esther was too strong for the witch in question to deal with, and that is why she could not be summoned. But if she was powerful enough, Rebekah would have called on her. Favour in return of favour."

"Positively Machiavellian..." murmured Elena beneath her breath. "Okay, but this bond can be broken, right?" she asked just to make sure.

The Original nodded. "At any time by either party involved. However the terms set during the time when the bond was active will have to be completed. So if Rebekah decided to no longer have a bond with the witch, she would still have to protect the number of generations last agreed upon."

Elena nodded, "That is clear so far. The sire bond?" she asked next.

"Ah yes, this one is a little more complex." Elijah stood and got himself a refill, topping up Elena's tumbler as well politely. "Believe it or not, sire bonds are quite rare in the vampire world, and similar, yet dissimilar at the same time from the bond of creation."

"Okay, now you are confusing me." She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck to get rid of the tension in her muscles.

"Focus, lovely Elena. I am about to explain the similarities and differences. Now, a sire bond is occasionally formed between two vampires when a human transitions with the vampire's blood in their system. It happens especially in cases when the vampire and transitioning human have previously been in a relationship or have had some form of a connection or attraction for each other already between them."

"So it basically makes you fall in love even that much more and makes you do the bidding of the vampire who sired you?" she asked completely mortified. How barbaric...

Elijah chuckled. "Not quite, there is no need for your mortification. The sire bond only enhances the feelings that have already been present before transition. As you have found out yourself, we as vampires often feel in extremes, and therefore many have decided to...'flip the switch' is the correct term if I am not mistaken. For at least the first couple hundred years while they can."

Elena nodded. "I find it a bit...irresponsible to be honest. I have felt the extremes...the grief can be all consuming." She said softly, her eyes focusing back on the man in front of her. "But only when you feel you are truly alive. Well, undead I guess." she shrugged.

Elijah merely chuckled at her logic. "Perhaps. Now, the sire bond only enhances the feelings already present in the relationship, not create them anew. Love is a very complex emotion and cannot be created because of a certain bond. Loyalty, very much so but not love. Sire bond often makes both parties quite content in their relationship, if not taken advantage of by the older vampire, in order to give orders and make the younger vampire submit to their wishes."

Elena grimaced. "So it can be used to abuse." She concluded.

"Is that not the case in any relationship? Love can make a person commit actions they could not once even imagine. Both women and men sometimes stay in an abusive relationship because they still believe their partner loves them, just doesn't know how to express it. Human psychology for beginners." He argued and Elena had to concede the point.

"Alright, I still don't like it but since it is not my problem, I will no longer think about it. What about the bond of creation, our bond? How does it differ really when the scrolls says that a romantic relationship may develop between the two parties, if of opposite sex?" she questioned and sipped at the drink, wishing it would affect her somehow. If she were human, she would be most likely tipsy by now, but as a vampire she would have to drink at least a bottle for it to have any effect at all.

"All data has been gathered through covert observation of the ones we, as the Original family, have created as the next of kin or in other words the top of our line. To explain, romantic feelings can of course develop if the creator and created are of the same sex as well. But in the case of Morten and I, neither one of us was romantically inclined towards the same sex, at the time." He tried to explain from the start.

"At the time? You're bisexual?" she asked, her eyebrows climbing towards her hairline.

Elijah chuckled. "You must understand that sexuality has only become a concept of concern for humans until certain religions argued against a man lying with another. And if course let us not forget about the age of morality, witch trials and so on. I am still of the old world, where life was short, love was precious and sex was not necessarily a matter of love or intimacy. It was an enjoyment or commodity, practiced wherever and whenever was available." He shrugged. "Terms such as straight, bisexual or gay are more modern than you realise." He watched Elena carefully to detect any discomfort on her part yet only felt curiosity through the bond.

"What is your preference?" she asked with a light blush, hoping she was not crossing boundaries too personal for the Original.

Elijah merely chuckled at her question. "It is not a matter of preference. Only a matter of attraction, beauty and personality. The character must be intriguing, for there is nothing that diminishes passion in a lover more than not being able to discover and share."

Elena blushed even further. "Right. We are straying from the topic. The bond of creation?" she changed subject. Elijah closed of the bond in his mind to allow her contemplation of his words in private.

"Of course. Leaving the question of the sexes out of the discussion, the bond of creation requires trust to be present for it to form. While your mortal death was unexpected, I would have no qualms about changing you if that were truly your wish instead of a normal human life, no matter whether I may wish otherwise."

"And I trust you with my safety, with your honesty and word." Concluded Elena, "I understand that aspect."

Elijah nodded. "Indeed. Furthermore, while you hold no romantic feelings towards me, we have established a certain understanding even during your human years and that makes you open towards my character. If a romantic relationship was to develop between us, it would not be aided by the bond. Only loyalty may be aided by such a connection, yet it will not influence your decisions or opinions. You will be perfectly capable of establishing any kind of relationship or develop affections for any who crosses your path. And while we share fondness for each other's company and you are curious about my history and personality, it does not have to progress into a romantic relationship if that is not our wish." he finished and poured himself another drink.

Elena narrowed her eyes. "There is something you have not told me yet. It's like...like I can feel it...or sense it..." she tried to explain her confused thoughts and feelings.

Elijah nodded. "The bond is strengthening with the close proximity. As your creator, I am able to sense your general whereabouts and occasionally moods as well. It is an aspect of the bond that is supposed to ensure I protect you and if I sensed your distress, I would be able to locate you fairly swiftly."

Elena straightened in her seat. "What do you mean moods? As in emotions?" she asked, completely astonished.

Elijah nodded. "Some of them, yes. However, considering my age I am able to close off the bond for a while to allow your privacy of thought and emotion. Which I have been doing regularly since your transition."

"You have been able to...feel me since I turned and not once did you deem it important enough to mention it?" she hissed softly, standing abruptly and leaning against the antique desk in front of her.

Elijah raised his hand in a pacifying gesture. "Elena, I have preserved both your modesty and privacy the afternoon you have arrived at my doorstep and have continued to do so throughout your time here. As I was not aware of the full implications of our bond, I have continued to research it and only concluded the findings I have presented to you last night. Please understand that I respect your personal space and privacy of thought." He said gently yet firmly.

And she knew Elijah was a man of his word no matter how many deals they were forced to break in the past. That did not mean she was comfortable with this development.

"I would appreciate some privacy for the rest of the day." She said dispassionately and walked towards the door.

"Of course. You shall find me either here or in the main parlour if you need any further clarification." He said and left her to her thoughts.

He was tempted to open the bond just for a moment to know her mind, but he had promised her privacy and would abide by his word. He could only hope that distrust would not taint their bond after today's revelations...


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: The next chapter sweethearts (in the usual format this time, result of Lemsip and caffeine boost) so hopefully you enjoy. Will Elena forgive our favourite Original? It is all written in the stars, or rather depending on my mood? I know, I'm bad but perfectly good at it ;) Enough with the suspense, here we go! **

**Always and forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

Elena was curled up on her bed, her eyes distant as she contemplated the information just given to her. She kicked the wheels of her analytical thinking for once to look at the situation without her heart involved.

Perk number one, she was turned by Original blood which meant she was not like any newbie vampire. Her abilities developed faster, she had a better control over her hunger and felt good in her own skin for the first time in years...since her parents died and she had to pretend to be alright, trying to believe it every day as the words passed her lips. Vampirism was almost like freedom, the blood a liquid courage that needed to be kept on a tight leash but she enjoyed it greatly nevertheless.

Perk number two, spending time with Elijah. He has always been her favourite Original, a man of honour and his word, someone with morals and at least a partial view of what was right and wrong. A humanist apparently, with a rough beginnings and bloody past. But she was starting realise more every day as he shared his memories that it was in their nature, blood, kill survival was in their veins. People were food and prey no matter how much she tried to suppress it by drinking from blood bags, it would always be that way. In the past, they did not have blood bags. Ergo, Elijah fed and killed people. She could hardly change that and why would she want to?

Perk number three, protection. If what Elijah was saying was true, and she had no reason to doubt that, this bond could come in handy in a dangerous situation. Being able to sense distress and her location at the same time would easily let him know she needed help. A quiet form of communication that will not be known by the potential opponent. He said the bond was strengthening. Will they be able to sense each other's thoughts after a time as well? Not only emotions? A question she needed an answer to. That would be pretty neat...

Perk number four, this bond did not allow Elijah to influence her in any way, no feelings were pressed into forming and they could stay friends, close friends who shared a bond. She needed some time on her own, to find her own worth independently outside of a relationship. Yet she has been getting closer to the man who has become less of an enigma over the past week, willing to open up to her questions and allow her to get to know him. The fact that he was handsome was undeniable. His old world manners were more than appealing and she felt comfortable in his presence. Were they friends? Yes. Could they be more? That was a question she did not know an answer to at current time, but would she fight it if their feelings developed naturally? Just because of insecurities about a bond? Hardly, she was not that hung up on morality as everyone seemed to think. If Elijah proved himself to be a companion she would find happiness with, perhaps. She knew the man respected her greatly, carefully listened and evaluated her points in a discussion, encouraged her knowledge and learning...all admirable qualities that frankly showed her how suffocated she felt in Mystic Falls.

Downside number one, he could sense her emotions. The little, almost-not-there smile that crossed his face at certain moments now made perfect sense to her. He must have sensed her emotional response to his words. The thought made her entirely uncomfortable, but then again there were moments when he looked at her with curiosity, as if he was trying to understand her reaction. Perhaps it was the truth that he switched the bond off to grant her some privacy. Could she overlook the fact that he has not told her about it?

Which brought her to downside number two, lack of information. She could understand that he wanted to gain more information before telling her about the bond, but it still would have been fair of him to admit the strength of the bond and she could have aided him in research. They could have figured it out together. She hardly needed a mentor, or did she? Then again, she had understood and forgiven when he broke their deals in the past, when he endangered her human life by leaving her with Rebekah. And he has been nothing but hospitable, generous and open with her.

The brunette looked down at the beautiful lapis lazuli tree ring on her right ring finger and caressed the cool metal softly. She had a few questions that needed answering and she got up to get them, while trying to deal with the fact that there were four perks outweighing the two downsides.

Elijah was sitting in the parlour, his legs crossed elegantly as he read one of the many volumes in the surrounding shelves. "Still on British poetry?" he heard a voice from behind him.

Without turning, he closed the book and picked up his glass of wine laced with B positive. "I am rediscovering the Gothic literature currently. Have your thoughts settled?" he asked as Elena came into his view and sat in one of the armchairs across from him, folding her legs beneath her slim curvaceous frame, her doe eyes never leaving his form.

"I have more questions." She said steadily.

"Naturally. Be my guest." He said with humour in his tone and she could not help the chuckle that escaped her lips.

"Alright. Well, you said you can sense my emotions, when you do not close off the bond. How come I can't sense yours? It's hardly fair." She almost pouted and Elijah freely admitted in his mind that her bottom lip was quite...adorable.

He placed his glass down and leaned back in his seat. "You must realise, lovely Elena, that I am much older than you and while your abilities and senses are heightened due to my blood choreographing the transition, it will take time for your mind to sense mine. I would say it is a matter of few weeks for the current time."

She nodded. "I can live with that, I guess... What about thoughts? Will we be able to read each other's thoughts after a while?" she asked.

Elijah nodded. "It however depends on the depth of the trust between us. Morten and I have been able to read the thoughts of the other after mere days, for his loyalty once settled was unwavering. We had a common goal, shared common values and trust developed quickly. I would imagine it would be different for the two of us." He concluded.

"How and why?" she asked.

Elijah leaned to the side and supported his head with a palm in a relaxed pose. "The length of such a connection may vary between weeks, months and years even, considering how our bond develops. As for why, it may be dependent on the fact that we are of opposite sex and such a connection may be influenced by...the intimacy of a bond developed between us. We are speaking hypothetically however for the moment." He clarified.

Elena just nodded and leaned back in her seat pensively. The Original was frankly surprised such a notion did not seem to cause worry to her in the least. He would have imagined with her heart torn between the two Salvatores, she would hardly allow any intimacy to develop between her and himself. Yet it appeared she was willing to contemplate his words with clear mind and he hoped her thoughts would be fruitful.

"Is there anything else you are keeping from me?" she asked softly.

His eyes focused on her soft features once more and he shook his head. "Not to my knowledge. If research should bring any new information to light, I will be sure to inform you immediately. My intent was not to keep you in the dark concerning our bond. I merely did not wish to miss inform you with hasty assumptions before researching the facts and observations."

Elena nodded. "I understand that and wish to accept it even though it would have been nice to be at least aware of your research. I just...don't know how to do this I guess." She motioned between the two of them.

"Do...this?" he asked, not quite understanding her meaning and wishing for an explanation of her thoughts.

She sighed. "As in you and me. I know I am your guest, your next of kin, someone you enjoy spending time with and conversing. But that doesn't tell me how I should behave around you, what you expect of me..." she tried to articulate her thoughts.

Elijah merely chuckled, but saw she was not in the mood. "Calm yourself, lovely Elena. I was not laughing at your person, merely wondered why you would believe I have any expectations of you. Your vampire nature is still quite new, you are developing from a young lady into a woman and I would not wish to presume any action from you. That is why the bond can be on occasion helpful when I do not pay enough attention and it opens, letting me understand your facial expressions better. The question should be, what do you expect yourself? How do you think we should 'do this'?" he motioned between them, copying her previous gesture and she admitted to laughing at his relaxed manner that was surely meant to soothe her frazzled mind.

She just shrugged. "I don't know, you are just so...formal." she blurted and suddenly panicked that he would find it offensive. "I meant, I know why and it suits you, it's just...I am used to having friends who are teenagers, in high school, wear jeans and... I don't know." She huffed.

Elijah merely chuckled at her ineloquence. "So my suits bother you?" he asked conversationally.

"They don't bother me. Suits actually suit you...no matter how weird that phrasing sounds." She grumbled softly. This was just not her day. "I guess you are so...old in the soul, knowledgeable. And I don't need a mentor right now. I guess I just need a friend is all."

"And are we not friends?" he asked surprised.

"Are we?" she countered, finding her voice again.

He contemplated her words for a moment. "Well let's see. There is trust, common interest, good communication, or at least usually so present conversation not included," she rolled her eyes at his teasing, "inside jokes, sharing of thoughts and memories... I would call that friendship, lovely Elena. Would you not?" he asked intrigued to get an answer.

He noticed a light blush rise on her cheeks and she looked away. "Yes?" he prompted after a moment of silence.

"Well uhm...I am used to, you know...hugging my friends...I don't quite acknowledge personal space." she admitted and Elijah suddenly realised that was her main issue.

Even before when she was human, Elena often kept her hands occupied, always used to encourage her friends with a light touch on the shoulder or with a hug. It was something that came naturally to her as a tactile person and for the past week she had not been near any living being physically apart for the fateful embrace that caused her to question the bond.

He chuckled suddenly at the realisation. "I completely understand, lovely Elena. Surpassing all jokes that would be associated with the phrase 'don't worry, I do not bite'," he grinned and she just chuckled at something so corny passing his lips, "you are always welcome to seek a friendly embrace. Believe it or not affection is not an unknown concept to me. I have lived for over a millennium and do not stray from touch of others." he said charmingly.

"Yeah well, the last time I hugged you, I got electrocuted by the bond." She grumbled but there was no heart in it. She could not help but feel comfort in his presence.

"Better hope for the bond playing nice next time then." He chuckled, encouraging her with his words.

She looked at his for a moment as she tried to make up her mind before getting up and sitting next to him. Their arms touching from shoulder to elbow and her bent knee close to his warm thigh.

"There, no electricity. I would hate for my hair to get crispy." She grinned, but felt comforted by the closeness of someone she felt comfort with, a friend.

Elijah showed her the book currently in his lap. "Care to read with me?" he grinned and she just burst laughing.

"Honestly? You and Dracula, Rebekah and her Twilight addiction...all we need is Klaus reading Sookie Stackhouse and watching True Blood..." she giggled.

"True Blood? Is that different from normal blood?" he asked in confusion, his only response more laughter from the brunette.

...

"Good morning, lovely Elena." Elijah smiled and presented her with her morning glass of blood as she came from the basement after her work out.

"Good morning." She smiled. "You look positive content. Any reason for that?" she asked.

"Well, I thought perhaps some fresh air and time spent outside of this house would be profitable for your own contentment. So we, lovely Elena, are going to shop for something suitable for tonight." He smiled.

"Tonight?" she asked confused.

Elijah handed her a plain white envelope and she opened it curiously. Inside she found two tickets to the theatre for a production of Jane Eyre, one of Elena's favourite novels since she was a little girl.

"How did you know?" she asked astonished.

"I have my sources." The Original merely grinned. "Would you find it a suitable activity to spend the evening with, in the company of a friend?" he asked.

She spontaneously hugged him. "Thank you! I love Jane Eyre! Oh I can't wait now..." she said quickly and before Elijah had time to recover from the physical contact, she was already dashing upstairs to get ready for shopping.

She was back in a flesh, wearing a light purple dress with a flower print and a white sweater over the shoulders from the chill. "Can we go now?" she asked excitedly. "I need to find a pretty dress for the theatre tonight. I didn't bring anything with me when I was leaving and could really use some retail therapy. God, I wish Caroline was here for a second opinion..." she kept talking in her excitement as she looked around her shoulder bag for her lip balm.

Elijah was thoroughly amused at her lively body language and the shower of words but finished his blood quickly and headed outside, Elena training after him.

"... and thanks for the taking me shopping, I really need to get out of the house- Hold on. Are we going to go by foot?" she asked, looking around the front lawn.

Elijah merely chuckled; glad the words stopped finally pouring from her lips.

"Of course not. The garage is on the side, right here." He said, leading the way and pressed a button on his keys, opening the large doors to reveal a silver Volvo.

Elena started laughing again when she remembered last night's conversation about vampire fiction. "Did Rebekah recommend this for you by any chance?" she asked.

Elijah looked at her surprised. "It was actually a gift from her. She said she read somewhere it was made in Scandinavia and was very comfortable to drive. I received it after the ball at the mansion last Easter." He admitted.

Elena just laughed, grateful that there were at least no other connections between Elijah and Edward Cullen.

The journey to town was short and filled with Elena's occasional chuckles which highly amused the Original who has not seen her this excited in all the time he has known the young woman.

"What colour should I be looking for? So we can colour code." Suddenly asked the brunette.

Elijah merely chuckled. "Red and green bring out your eyes and skin tone. I find them both very pleasing colours on you." he smiled and watched Elena blush at his comment.

"Okay." She said softly and stopped speaking for the rest of the journey, her thoughts causing a whirlwind in her mind. The two of them shopping, going into the theatre...it almost felt date-like to her. A date she never had in her life. When she was with Matt, it was teenage fumbling, going to his matches and chilling out while watching movies. With Stefan, it was always vampires, taking care of his urges or worrying whether the next day will be the last for her to spend in his arms. This almost felt...normal. And for some reason she found it comforting.

Reality however dawned on her before she could finish the last thought. This was by no means normal however. They were isolated in the house, away from reality because the council was after her, Klaus was still a threat, the Salvatores wanted to make her choose and Rebekah wished for her head on a silver platter. Would that however stop her from enjoying some free time away from her worries?

"You think too much, lovely Elena." His words brought the brunette back into reality and noticed they have already parked in the town square.

"I'm sorry, just got distracted for a moment." She smiled.

"Is something troubling you?" Elijah asked softly, but she merely shook her head.

"The only thing that troubles me is the idea that they won't have a nice dress for me tonight." She grinned and got out of the car. Elijah followed and pointed out a small boutique that seemed to hold various dresses and evening wear for ladies.

"Perfect." Smiled Elena and was surprised when he joined her inside.

Elijah chuckled at her surprised expression. "Would you prefer to shop alone?" he asked.

But Elena merely shook her head. "No, but if you stay, you help. Anything you think would look nice, I am open to suggestions. Go from that side." She grinned and Elijah obediently moved to the other side of the store to look for dresses. They met by the changing room, Elena only bearing seven different dresses while Elijah only held one. She took it gratefully and went to change.

A sales woman offered the man a seat on the small couch and offered him some coffee, which he accepted as he waited for Elena to choose. What he did not count on was her soft voice calling him into the changing room.

"Elijah, I need some help!" she called after a while of fabric rustling and dissatisfied huffing from the brunette. It was obvious she was not happy with her choices so far and the Original wondered whether he would have to go look for some more for her to try on.

He stood and moved towards the door, clearing his throat. "I am present. What seems to be the issue?" he asked and watched astonished as Elena walked out into the hall, holding the front of the dress close to her chest and turned around.

"I can't reach the zip, could you?" she asked, pulling her hair to the side over her shoulder and out of the way.

Her lean back was revealed, the soft olive skin on display, and the hint of black from her underwear at the curve of her lower back. Elijah set his face into a blank expression before he delicately took the zip and pulled it all the way up to her shoulder blades.

It was the wine coloured strapless dress he had picked out, smooth and tight over the curves that ended just above her knees. The natural gravity of her breasts emphasized without the hindrance of a brassiere underneath the smooth dress, yet preserved her modesty with the thickness of the supportive fabric. It brought out the light in her eyes and the smoothness of her skin beautifully and the Original had to admit he wished to treat this young woman more often.

"What do you think?" she asked, twirling on the spot like a princess.

"Well I picked it for a reason." He chuckled. "You look beautiful as always Elena." He offered.

She blushed lightly, her previous thoughts gnawing their way into the forefront of her mind again.

"Great, cause the others just don't fit. I'll take it." She smiled and walked back into the changing cabin.

Bag with dress in hand, she walked out happily and they headed home. Conversation was much lighter and easier after Elena found the perfect dress and they were just discussing dinner arrangements.

"I want to cook tonight, something yummy. I'm in the mood for rise. Is there any rice dishes you like?" she asked.

"Not in particular, but I would be happy to assist you in preparation of the meal before we leave for the theatre."

"In that case we could- WATCH OUT!" she cried in panic but it was too late.

The van speeding at them in full speed hit its target, black paint, the screeching of tires and loud shouting the last thing Elena could hear before darkness claimed her.

**AN: DUN DUN DUUUN, cliffy ;) **


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: My lovelies, I acknowledge my evil ways of cliff hangers, but it was very much necessary for further development of the story so bare with me ;) all is right in the world however, and here we go with the next chapter ;) Enjoy and if you have the time, pleeeease leave a review, it will be very much appreciated x**

**Always and Forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

"Elena, focus on my voice...wake up...Elena..." she heard a deep baritone from a great distance and groaned in discomfort as she felt the pain in her body. She tried to move her limbs but could not, which sent her into a slight panic as her eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Eli...Elijah?" she whispered hoarsely. Remembering his face before the darkness claimed her.

"That's it, I'm here. Focus Elena...open your eyes and try not to move." He instructed gently and she forced her eyes to open slowly, focusing in on the scene before her.

She hissed in pain, the tightness of ropes around her arms, wrists and legs suddenly registered and she tried to move in panic. "Hurts..." she managed to bite out.

"Elena, stop moving. Focus on my voice, look up." He instructed patiently, his voice firm but gentle in his guidance.

She finally managed to clear her blurry vision and looked up. Elijah, bloodied but otherwise in one piece was tied with heavy chain and ropes soaked in vervain most likely, if her own ropes and the pain they induced were anything to go by. They were in a large van, sitting across from each other and to her surprise they were others. On the floor between them were lying Stefan and Damn, both tied tightly as well but seemingly dead. Her eyes widened and with panic looked up at the Original across from her.

"Do not worry, they snapped their necks because they would not keep quiet." He reassured her. "They should wake within a few hours."

She looked around the van and noticed another body, huddled in the corner of the van and heavily chained and tied as well was Rebekah, thankfully unconscious as well. Elena groaned.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked.

Elijah merely chuckled. "Language, lovely Elena."

She looked at him, completely astonished. "We are tied up in a van, going God knows where you and you reprimand me for my language? Honestly? Do you find this funny?" she asked, completely freaking out, the pain getting to her more every minute.

His face softened as he gave her one of his kind smiles. "Calm down Elena. I assure you we will be alright. They have vastly underestimated us not only in numbers, but in that fact that joining three strong vampires and two Originals together is comparable to facing an army." he said softly, as to not be overheard.

She felt slightly soothed by his relaxed pose, no pain visible in his features; however that did not hold her thoughts from returning to reality. "What really happened? I can't remembering anything...just a van...hitting out car I think. Who is doing this, Elijah?" she asked softly.

Elijah leaned back in his seat, managing to somehow look elegant even in chains and ropes and it made her almost smile but the pain contorted her features slightly, preventing a smile from forming.

"It was a planned attack. One of the vans hit our car, I did not have time to save us from the impact unfortunately. They have vervained me, which only slowly down as they have underestimated the dosage but they were pretty swift with the chains. You were unconscious at the time so I allowed for them to take is into the second van that was following, to assess the situation first before attempting a rescue. As for who, you can answer that question yourself I am sure, lovely Elena." He offered.

Elena bared her teeth angrily. "The Council." She hissed angrily.

"Those freaking assholes. Honestly! One would expect them to finally give up..." she growled.

Elijah merely chuckled again. "Really Elena. Fuel the fire where it is necessary, not into empty pejoratives. Let them enjoy the momentary sense of power over us, they will be sorely mistaken by their assumptions." he grinned, the light in his eyes positively evil.

Elena's pulse quickened slightly. She has merely seen his calm, kind side before now but the slightly sadistic smile on his lips added a completely new dimension to his features. And while she had never thought she would see such a look on his face, it was admittedly quite...attractive. He was a thousand years old vampire, who has tasted and dished out revenge before. It was only inevitable she would witness this side to his character again, but now when she faced it, it was positively exhilarating. Was it her blood lust and vampire nature speaking? Perhaps, but she was angry at the council for not even allowing her a moment's peace to go see one show in the theatre, always hunting the, down and for what? Because they lived in peace with the human population in Mystic Falls? Because they only drank from blood bags? Because they protected the city from other supernatural threats? They had a funny way of showing gratitude for their lives being saved...

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, new determination set in her features as she pushed the pain into the back of her mind.

Elijah nodded, proud to see her not giving into the circumstances and thinking analytically. "From words exchanged in the front of the van, we are not far from destination. We are apparently headed for their headquarters to be imprisoned and interrogated. We will allow for the imprisonment to occur and wait until my sister and the Salvatores awake. Once united as a front, revenge and escape will be easy." He said softly and Elena nodded in understanding.

"Elena, you do realise there will be much bloodshed. My sister, Damon and I are not known for our forgiving natures." He warned her, his voice soft and soothing.

Her eyes dropped for a moment. She still believed in every human life being valuable, but this was a war. And while she was not sure she could herself take a life, she would punish those who have hurt her and the ones she cared about and intended to kill them merely for not understanding their nature and willing to acknowledge presumption of innocence.

"Do as you see fit." She said softly, her doe eyes full of fire as she looked at him.

At that moment, Elijah saw the woman growing inside his next of kin, spreading her wings and taking over her features and thoughts. And she was magnificent. Breath-taking even. He enjoyed the sight greatly, their eyes locked in a moment of perfect understanding before the van stopped abruptly.

"Here we go." Whispered Elena, knowing Elijah could hear her clearly.

The doors opened and two gorillas in black t-shirts, with police badges hanging around their necks appeared in their sight. More men appeared behind their backs and they first transported the unconscious vampires before one of the men roughly grabbed Elena and pulled her over his shoulder. She hissed at him as the ropes around her tightened painfully and if she were human his rough handling would have left bruises. What surprised her was hearing a small growl from Elijah. She raised her head and coughed his eyes, seeing the distaste at the behaviour of the men towards her. She managed a small reassuring eye before they carried her around the van.

They were in the middle of nowhere, at what looked to be a farm. They carried her into a stable-like building with what looked to be cells made of steel and wood. Vervain was heavy in the air, parching her throat and burning her nose instantly. She started coughing as they roughly threw her into one of the cells. Rebekah was in the cell next to her, along with Damon and Stefan, and a moment later they carried Elijah in and threw him into the cell with her, making him land roughly on top of her still lying body. She gasped softly as his elbow landed in her ribs, but he quickly rolled off her, his weight no longer pressing her into the floor.

"My apologies, lovely Elena." He said as he managed to roll on his back and turned his head to look at her.

She managed a small chuckled. Even in these conditions, both of them bloody and in pain, her purple dress torn and dangerous highly on her thighs, he still called her lovely. Polite gentleman or incorrigible humour?

"No offence taken, those bastards are to blame not you." she managed as she felt her cracked rib popping back in place completely healed with a small gasp. "Now that hurt. And they have ruined my favourite dress." She growled but started coughing again from the vervain.

Elijah chuckled. The old Elena was back and even in her tied state, she managed to complain about their lack of respect for fashion sense and clothing. It was like watching an angry see, the waves tall and hitting the rocks, changing direction in mere seconds just like her moods. They were left alone, the door closed and locked but he could still hear four guards standing outside the barn. Could they be even more ridiculous in their security? "I am bored of waiting for them wake." He sighed.

He stretched his muscles before suddenly flexing them and tearing both the ropes and chains around his body. He stood up and cracked his neck, adjusting his suit for a moment.

Elena just gaped at him from her position on the floor before hissing softly. "And you couldn't do that sooner?" she growled at him.

He looked down and smiled. "Where would be the fun in that, lovely Elena?" he asked lightly.

She had the sudden urge to whack him over the head with something heavy and laugh at his cheeky reasoning at the same time. She went with neither and instead just rolled her eyes. "Help?" she asked impatiently, the ropes digging into her skin.

Elijah squatted next to her, his fingers gently grabbing the bottom of her dress. "If you'd allow me first." He said politely and pulled the hem down to a modest length. Elena shuddered softly under his touch, where his skin lightly skimmed hers, so close to her most intimate area. After that he made a quick work of tearing the ropes carefully, in order not to let them dig into her skin any further. He pulled her up and steadied her with warm hands on her shoulders before biting into his wrist.

"Have a few small gulps, it will protect you against the vervain and aid in your strength, we need to dispose of the guards outside." He said and offered his wrist.

Elena hesitated for a moment, well aware of the fact that blood sharing between two vampires was of intimate nature, as Rose explained to her once. She pulled his wrist close, her features shifting at the wonderful scent of his life force and she let her tongue lick the blood already oozing out of the wound. She felt Elijah go rigid in her posture next to her as she let her fangs pierce the already opened wound and she swallowed the blood that flowed into her mouth freely. The blood was sweet, delicate, yet with a hint of spicy and she held onto the wrist tightly to keep it close. She swallowed another mouthful with a little content sound escaping the back of her throat. She felt his large warm hand in her hair, grounding her silently and she knew she could not take much more, but oh how she wished she could...

The thick viscose liquid was raising a need, a desire within her for more...her senses were screaming at her to drink and feast, to grab her prey and not let go until the veins went dry. But she felt his grip on the back of her neck tighten warningly and she let her fangs pull out of the wound, her tongue licking the skin clean to get every last drop that escaped until his wrist was completely healed.

She felt his hand on her neck tighten yet again as her tongue glided over her skin, but this time knew it was not merely as a warning. She hummed softly, feeling connected to the man next to her and when she opened her eyes and looked at him, she could sense emotions that were not her own...contentment, hunger, thirst for revenge...desire.

His pupils were lightly dilated, and she guessed it was due to the slight blood loss but his emotions told her a different story. "I can feel you..." she whispered and looked at his surprise.

"Well that would be a new development in the creation bond..." he responded, clearing his throat slightly as they both stepped back into a respectable distance.

"The guards." She reminded them both and they stepped towards the doors of the cell. With one swift move of Elijah's hand the lock was broken and they stepped out into the barn space. The other three vampires were still out so they had to do this themselves.

"Are you ready, lovely Elena?" he asked and leisurely took off his suit jacket, rolling the sleeves of his grey shirt up to the elbows. The last time she saw him with rolled sleeves, he was playing a morbid version of a cardiologist. And knew this time would be no different. They will be bathed in blood by the time they were done and Elena knew she was about to say goodbye to some part of her that represented the old her. The one she has tried to hold on to but now could see was only hindering her.

Elijah had once told her that her compassion was a gift that she should carry with herself for always. Was she willing to go on a rampage and loose her humanity? A hand fell on her shoulder and she re-surfaced from her thoughts.

"You do not need to kill any humans if that is not your wish. Your compassion will not be lost in one single act of blood revenge. If I saw you wavering at the edge, I will not allow you to fall into a dispassionate state." He reassured her, his large dark eyes clear and determined.

She nodded and took off the sweater from her shoulders, not wishing for the fabric to hinder her moves. "Let's do this." She whispered and they walked towards the door before bursting through them and the fight started.

...

The hot water running down her body soothed her tired and sore muscles, yet the fresh blood pumping through her veins empowered her greatly. She watched the drop mixing with the clear liquid, reminding her of Hitchcockian movies with the close up at the blood of the victim running down the drain. They were safe and home, Rebekah, Damon and Stefan still out of it downstairs in the living room as she headed upstairs earlier to wash the day off her skin.

She could still see the field littered with lifeless bodies, the cries and shouted orders have died down a long time ago. Elijah was a force of nature in battle, swift and deadly, the ground littered by hearts and men with holes in their chests. She dodged wooden bullets and vervain darts, feeding on the fresh blood of the foolish humans, her hands snapping the neck in their hold without a second thought. The only one left standing was Pastor Young, who was saying a silent prayer, a wooden cross tight in his hold.

"_Pastor Young." Greeted him Elijah calmly, as he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and started cleaning his hands of the blood. _

"_Step away from me, you creature of the devil." Hissed the Pastor, raising the cross in his hand._

_The Original merely chuckled. "Pastor, I do not believe in your God or your devil. All I believe in is reason, justice and beauty in this world. Now if I may, what did you think you would accomplish by kidnapping two of the Original vampire family and three other vampires from Mystic Falls?" he asked, his face determined yet light still._

"_You will burn in hell for this. Kill me all you like, I am but one man. But our crusade will live on! And we will catch you all..." he preached loudly and passionately. _

_Elijah just tutted and shook his head. "Now now Pastor, does your God not preach acceptance, forgiveness and love? You are a pastor and all you have is hate in your heart..." he stepped closer, intent on ending the man's life._

"_No." Her words were soft, but firm. "Do not kill him."_

_Elijah looked at her completely surprised, yet saw her gaze trailed on holy man. She stepped closer but stopped when she saw him covering slightly. _

"_My aunt Jenna used to babysit your daughter, April. We played together as little girls, and had she not moved away, we would have still been friends today. I am still the same Elena you have once known. All that has changed is that fact that I would be dead right now if it were not for vampire blood saving my blood. Would you really wish me dead, Pastor?" she asked softly. _

_The old man trembled slightly and looked away. "Do not try that eye thing on me, you manipulator. You are nothing like the Elena Gilbert I once knew. She was a good girl. All that is left of her now is a monster." He spoke sharply. _

_Elena took a step back, admittedly wounded by his words before all emotion left her face. "If I were such a monster, I would allow for death to claim you. But you will live. I want you to live, so the deaths of these men who you tried to pull into a worthless crusade weight on your conscience. You will have to live with the fact that you are the reason why these men are dead. And the fact that the monster you try to chase showed mercy and compassion in sparing your own life." She whispered and turned to Elijah. "Let's get out of here." _

And they did. After removing the ropes from the three unconscious vampires, they jumped into one of the vans and left as fast as they could, heading back to their home. She rubbed the blood off her skin with one of the flannels in her shower stall and allowed for her thoughts to calm as well. She has killed today. Swiftly and painlessly...but she has also fed. On fresh human blood, just like Klaus took the pleasure in taking her blood anytime necessary for his precious hybrids. Once she has vowed to herself never to drink fresh blood, but now she knew better. Life was not about black and white, and reality could be daunting for both humans and vampires alike.

With a sigh she dried off and pulled on some light blue skinny jeans and a comfortable woollen green sweater that would keep her warm and make her more at ease in face of the conversation ahead. She went downstairs, hair still wrapped in a towel and headed for the kitchen. She got herself a bag of O negative and joined the others in the living room. All were finally conscious, drinking their own blood bags dry to get their strength back and to allow for their bodies to heal quicker.

Rebekah hissed upon her arrival, her hair still a comical ginger colour. "You little wench." she clenched her jaw and was about to get up but Elijah's hand pressed her firmly into the couch.

"That 'little wench' saved your life, show some gratitude by not killing her. Tit for tat as Niklaus often says." He smiled at the brunette and motioned for her to join them.

Rebekah growled but then a pained sigh escaped her lips as Elijah's hand on her shoulder tightened. "Are you challenging me?" he asked lightly, yet his tone was anything but playful.

The blond-currently-ginger huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back into the sofa. "Fine."

Damon did not meet Elena's eyes at all, whereas Stefan's gaze did not leave her for a moment, his puppy eyes already giving her a headache. A tense silence fell upon the room before Damon broke it.

"So this is your little love nest now then?" he drawled.

Elena rolled her eyes. "This is my home now, yes. With Elijah." She answered calmly, finishing off the last of her blood bag and letting her features slip back into her human form.

"A home. Whoop-py-doo. The little birdie flew out of the nest into the arms of the big bad Original. Good for you." he drawled sarcastically.

Elena was in no mood for his sarcasm or misplaced judgement and was staring to get really annoyed. "Eat your words Damon. You are the one shagging the resident thousand year old harlot while trying to pressurise me into a choice that is not going to happen. I have asked you to be friends, but you either ignore my wishes or call me confused because it is only natural for me to end up with one of you. Well, wake up call. I'm sorry and I love you, but if you don't want to accept the fact that my life is mine to live and decisions concerning myself mine to make, you can't be a part of who I am right now." she said firmly.

Silence reigned in the room for a while, only interlaced with Rebekah's offended huffing before Damon stood, grabbing onto his lover and pulled her out of the room. "Have a happy life." He spat and left the house, door banging after him.

Stefan stood as well and looked at her with disappointment. "I'm sorry but I can't. I will always love you, Elena. Maybe one day..."

She nodded with a soft smile. "Maybe. We have an eternity to be friends." She smiled and watched him leave as well.

The door closing sounded somewhat final to her ears, almost as if a chapter of her life has closed today. She has killed, drank fresh blood and said goodbye to the two people who have opened her eyes to the presence of supernaturals in this world. The two men she loved and in some way will always love, but only as friends for there could not be happiness in her future by the side of either.

Elijah crouched in front of her and took the empty blood bag out of her hands. "Are you alright, lovely Elena?" he asked her softly.

She focused on his eyes and while she wished to reassure him, she could hardly lie to someone who could read her emotions. All she received from him was calmness and it soothed her own frazzled mind. She was tired of Mystic Falls, of always being ambushed. She needed to get away from all of this, open a new chapter in her life and find out more about the man who supported her independence.

"Take me somewhere." She suddenly blurted.

He looked at her surprised but nodded. "Where would you like to go?"

She just shrugged in response, so he asked again, differently. "Where have you always dreamt of travelling when you were a little girl?" he asked.

She considered the question for a moment before hesitantly looking back at the Original. "Belgium." She said softly. "They make the best chocolate." She added.

Elijah chuckled at her reasoning. "Alright. I will take you to Belgium. Under one condition however."

She raised a surprised eyebrow and motioned for him to go on.

Elijah just grinned. "That you will allow me to actually take you to the theatre this time and wear a dress we pick."

Soft laughter sounded through the house as she hugged him happily and ran upstairs to pack. Good bye Mystic Falls, hello Belgium.

**AN: One or two more chapters left sweethearts! xx**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: Well my lovelies, here is the second to last chapter for this story and our favourite couple! Please forgive the delay, I do not remember what I actually did this weekend and then have been buried under PILES of coursework :P A VERY special to thanks to the gorgeous , who has been my first ever Belgian person to speak to, AND provided fantastic ideas for our favourite couple in terms of places to visit! Many thanks, and this chapter is dedicated to our very own special Belgian citizen ;) Now, read and enjoy the imaginary travels with me ;) **

**Always and Forever**

**- Raven Mikaelson**

"Couldn't we have like...swam to Europe?" asked Elena with a short laugh, slightly hysteric even to the worst of ears as she clutched the seatbelt in her hands.

At the sound of metal twisting, Elijah gently took her hands and placed them upon her thighs. "Calm down, lovely Elena. I know this is your first time flying but please realise that even if the airplane falls, we will hardly die." He chuckled.

"IT CAN FALL? Then why the hell are we sitting in it! We could have taken a ship or something! I am not experiencing a plane crash!" Hissed the brunette, her eyes looking around her with panic. "Can I get off still or are we already moving? Oh God, we are already moving..." she mumbled to herself, fidgeting in her seat.

"Elena!" The Original said firmly, her head snapping towards his commanding voice. "Now that I have you attention, you have three options exactly. Option number one, I bring the bottle of Goral vodka in one of the liquor cabinets and you drink all of it to calm down and enjoy the flight. Option number two, you sleep. Option number three, none of the above will be used and you will trust me to not endanger your life." He said lightly, but she could see her behaviour was not exactly well received.

She couldn't help it though. The plane was...rolling on the ground, such tiny wheels for a plane. It was only the two of them in the private jet, but still wasn't it smaller airplanes that crashed more often? They couldn't die but it would still hurt. They didn't make planes out of wood, did they?

"Elena." Elijah's smooth baritone brought her back out of her thoughts and she focused again.

"I'm sorry, it's just...I've never done this before and it's...stressful." she said softly, realising that she has been behaving like a small inconsolable child.

Elijah nodded. "Do not worry yourself, you are safe. Now, are you going to trust me and calm down?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I trust you...to compel me to sleep until we get there. I don't think I want to be up for the long flight anyway." She said softly.

He nodded and cupped her cheek, pulling her gaze up to his. She saw his pupils dilating very slightly and welcomed the sight. "You will sleep, lovely Elena, until I order you to wake up." He said softly but firmly and she felt blackness surround her

Elijah made sure to lower her seat into a more comfortable position and while it was unnecessary covered her with one of the blankets provided under the seats for her comfort. The flight took long hours and he shortened them by reading until they arrived at Brussels. He picked her slumbering form gently and carried her into the waiting car, taking the seat behind the wheel for the drive.

...

They have been in the small historical town of Tongeren for a couple of days now, and it was magical. Without the need to tell his just what she needed, Elijah has managed to bring her into a place straight out of her dreams. The history was still rich and thick in the air, reaching back into the times of Ancient Rome. She had touched the remains of the Roman walls, feeling not only the rock beneath her fingers, but the blood and sweat of those who built it, seeing the many faces pass through the tower gate into the town. Women, children, soldiers...students, families, tourists.

_Elijah rented them an apartment in the best hotel in town, a small seating area, a joint bathroom and two separate rooms as he had insisted for her sake. She nodded thankfully and settled into the rustic room, decorated in earthy colours. She had barely placed her bag on the bed before pulling Elijah into the streets to explore._

_The weather was getting cold and her skin lost even more of its warmth in the strong wind. Guns and Roses came to mind with their 'November rain' as she looked upon the grey skies, but while it was November already and the clouds looked heavy, not one angelic tear fell from the heavens. _

_Elijah pulled her into one of the clothing shops and spread his arms silently, letting her know she was free to buy anything needed for the duration of their stay. When she tried to object to such expenses, he merely shook his head. "I have wealth you could not spend even if you tried Elena, allow for such a treat. I would not have you feeling the chill that has not yet arrived to our home." _

_She surprised him but quickly placing a small kiss to his cheek and with a happy sway to her hips headed towards the jacket section. Elijah merely chuckled at her antics once his eyes left her shapely derriere and headed towards the male section to look for a new coat. He browsed slowly, giving Elena enough time to pick anything she might like and was not surprised to see her arm over flowing with items._

"_You said even if I tried. Well, I did." She shrugged and grinned cheekily. _

_Elijah merely took the clothing from her and offered her his elbow, leading her towards the till. He raised a brow at some of the items but Elena merely grinned so he paid for her purchases and gallantly carried her bags._

"_Where to now? I can't wait to start but I don't know where to." She looked around the town properly for the first time, and the expression 'child in a sweet shop' came to Elijah's mind. She wanted Belgian chocolate, she would get it. _

_He pulled her into one of the chocolateries, and presented her the first two of many regional specialties. One of them was Ambrioxis chocolates, smooth fondant chocolates that made her hum with pleasure as they melted on her tongue. She instantly took two boxes of them in hand as they headed to the second treat called the Steenuil chocolate truffles, Tongeren truffles in milk and fondant chocolate filled with Haspengouw fruits. _

"_These are heavenly!" she hummed, licking the melting chocolate from her fingers. "Can we get some of these as well?" she asked, almost bouncing on the balls of her toes._

_He merely chuckled at her enthusiasm and bought two boxes of those as well. They have only been in Belgium for a few hours, but it suited her. It seemed as if all troubling thoughts were forgotten and she caught a new breath, enjoying every moment in the new environment. They stopped by for some coffee and Elijah was getting worried about a possible sugar rush on Elena's part, after eating a small plate of Tongeren biscuits, famous coconut and aniseed shortbreads, as well._

...

Elena stretched in her bed pleasantly, slowly opening her eyes into the new day. Yesterday has completely tired her out and she enjoyed just lying in the bed for a moment in the early morning hours. They have visited the local Gallo-Roman museum to see the permanent exposition and special one about the Etruscans, the beautiful Basilica of Our Lady, the Town Hall and the Templar's Tower. He had completely surprised her by pulling out a professional Nikon camera and handing it to her like it was a dollar to go buy sweets. When she asked him what he wanted to do, he merely chuckled and told her she would not be a proper tourist without a camera to capture the memories.

_And so they explored, Elena on quick feet, with a light step of full of elation, the camera around her neck as she took one photo after another, hoping to catch as many memories to look back at in a century or so. She was planning to one day revisit this location and reminisce about how her eternity was only starting then, the first time away from home, away from America and safety. _

_Elijah followed slowly, always composed in his black suit as he occasionally corrected her angles to capture more into the shot or pointed out a detail that may have slipped Elena's notice. He had to change the memory card once to accommodate Elena's photographic enthusiasm and avoided all of her attempts to capture him in a photograph. He suddenly noticed her trying to get at the tiptoes in order to capture something before her bottom lip pouted enticingly._

"_I am too short for this," she said with a hint of a whine in her tone, huffing in irritation at not being able to capture the sight. "Could you? You are much taller." She asked hoping he would agree but the Original shook his head in amusement. _

"_I have a better idea that would allow you to capture much more, if you would allow." He suggested._

"_Of course." She smiled warmly, not quite sure what he had in mind but trusting his judgement. This proved to be the cause of a soft scream leaving her lips when the next moment she found herself sitting on his shoulders, his strong hands securing her calves over his chest. Her tights-covered thighs were gripping his head, rubbing against his warm cheeks from the sides and one of her hands ended up gripping onto his silky hair in a moment of panicked concern for her equilibrium. _

"_Relax Elena, I would not allow for you to fall. Is this height better for your photograph?" he asked completely relaxed as if his head was not between her thighs, her core rubbing against the back of his neck as she shifted._

"_Uhm...yeah...I think..." she managed to stutter and released her death grip n his hair, arranging it back in place much to his amusement before focusing the camera. "This is perfect! I have the right angle to capture the whole length on the monument and the background!" she exclaimed happily and a series of shots, focusing from different angles and capture more than even Elijah could have with his impressive height._

"_Thank you! All done. Uhm...how do I get down?" she asked uncertainly. _

_A soft chuckle was he response as he started walking towards one of the short walls, the lurching movement making her grasp onto his hair again. "The same way you got on top, Elena." He smiled and turned around, making her sit on the short wall as he slowly pulled from between her thighs._

_She laughed and smiled at the man as he turned to face her again. "Thank you! Now I don't have to be worried about being short enough." She chuckled at his humorous relaxed state. She has noticed earlier that once they left America in behind, he has become much more content and relaxed in familiar lands of Belgium. In her enthusiasm, she forgot about her lady like manners and that her thighs were still somewhat parted even after he left their midst. She was wearing a short black dress with a jacket since the day was not too cold and forgot that her tan tights did nothing to hide her underwear. Elijah cleared his throat and unobtrusively pulled her thighs together with gentle hands, not once did his gaze stray to tantalising view as he smiled at her blushed realisation. _

"_Come, let us explore another sight." He smiled and helped her off the wall with strong hands on her waist as she wondered whether he was had just flirted with her. That comment positively rang with an underlying meaning, but with him she could never be sure, even though she had noticed that it was no longer only her eyes that lingered on the other's frame for a few moments longer than necessary. The man was an enigma..._

She chuckled at the fond memory and stretched in her bed, sitting up at the soft knock on her door.

"Come in." She called and smiled at the man who appeared in her door. Over the last few days she got used to seeing Elijah in nothing but a pair of sleeping trousers in the mornings, drinking his coffee and reading the paper. The first time she saw him out of his cultured suit and his bare chest on display, she was sure a drop of saliva appeared at the corner of her open mouth. It was so... domestic, even more so than their usual morning routine of coffee, blood and breakfast. And while she was used to his presence and sharing a home with the man, this was the first time she had really made him comfortable by offering trust not only with her life but in guidance and exploring their bond. And he rewarded her by relaxing significantly in her presence, a much welcome gesture for the young tactile woman.

"Breakfast is ready, and I have a proposition for you to discuss over our meal if you are awake enough to hear it." He chuckled at her tussled hair and slightly blurry eyes.

"Sure." She smiled and got out of bed in nothing but a little green shorts and a black tank top. She quickly piled her hair up in a bun and followed him into the sitting are, a little banquet waiting for her on the slow coffee table. "Oh my God, pancakes!" she actually squealed and clapped her hands in excitement. Elijah sat in the armchair which he had claimed the first night of their stay as his and poured a rich looking syrup over both their plates.

"Loon syrup, made of the same fruits you tasted in the truffles." He encouraged as she curled her legs beneath herself on the sofa and pulled the plate closer within reach.

"It looks so yummy," she smiled and chewed her first mouthful slowly, closing her eyes for a moment as a soft hum of pleasure escaped her throat, "delicious!" she beamed at the man. "Can we buy some of that syrup and take it back with us?" she asked hopefully.

Elijah chuckled and nodded. "Of course, lovely Elena. Now eat before your food grows cold." He smiled and they ate in companiable silence. Once their plates were cleared, Elijah pulled out a bag of AB negative as another treat and poured them each a small glass to savour with the aftertaste of the pancakes.

"It's a shame it is such a rare blood type...I wish we could indulge more often." Elena smiled as she sipped the precious viscous liquid.

"Which brings me to our topic of discussion, if I may?" he asked and continued at her nod of consent, her eyes focusing on his fully in assurance of her alertness. "I have considered the improvement in our bond after our last blood sharing." He paused for a moment as he saw a shadow pass through her eyes at the memory of Pastor Young's treatment of them, before continuing. "As you can now sense my emotions as well I can sense yours, it would stand an interesting experiment to see whether the bond could be strengthened by further sharing of blood. As you have wondered about the ability to sense and hear each other's thoughts, I found myself contemplating your voiced questions. Since blood sharing seemed to be the determent of the last improvement, it would perhaps be in our interest to observe if such a reaction was to be repeated." He explained and leaned back in his seat, letting her process his suggestion.

Elena' s eyes wondered to his chest covered by a smattering of chestnut curls and focused on his slow, immortal heart beat, pumping the sweet powerful blood through his veins, aided by the income of delicate human blood. She would lie if she were to deny the wish to taste his blood again, yet with the knowledge of how personal such an experience was, it could also further aid progress in their relationship. They have become so comfortable and attuned to each other, she found herself wondering when the time would come for the scales to tip in direction of a more romantic relationship between them. Was she ready for it? Hell, no! Would she be receptive of it and willing to see if he was the man to finally treat her in a relationship as an equal and share an understanding deeper than any she had experienced with Stefan or Damon?...yes, she would in all honesty.

Elijah allowed her the privacy to contemplate without reading her emotions through their bond and finished off his blood, pouring them each a small cup of coffee, the delicious warm smell rousing Elena from her thoughts.

"I would agree to try." She said softly, catching his attention with her words. Elijah looked at her surprised, as if expecting her to refuse such a blunt experiment, but nodded in acknowledgement.

"If you are sure about your decision, we may try after breakfast if you liked. We have another week in town and it might prove a valuable time for the bond to settle before our return, if any changes were to occur." He suggested.

It was a reasonable request and she nodded her consent again. "Let's finish our coffee and we shall proceed. I am not getting dressed only to let blood on my clothes, I can still be a bit messy while feeding." She blushed.

Elijah chuckled. "Very well, and do not concern yourself, you will get much better at keeping the feeding clean in time." He encouraged and sipped the dark liquid slowly, letting it warm his body.

She hummed as caffeine spread through her body and she remained in her seat for a moment longer before just started fidgeting slightly in anticipation. Elijah chuckled softly at her antics and motioned for her to join him. She looked at him questioningly as she got up, expecting to get a wrist to feed on while offering hers, but the man surprised her greatly by pulling her to sit onto his thighs, practically in his lap and smiled.

"For the purposes of our observation, it would perhaps be preferable to try and see whether drinking from the neck would make a difference." He argued readily at her blush and look of surprise.

She considered his argument for a moment but the powerful blood was already calling to her from beneath the pale skin of his throat. Elijah merely chuckled and pulled her closer in his arms, her face now so close to his throat he features shifted immediately. Her arms ended up around his neck as the blood sang to her, pulling his throat closer, inhaling the scent of his skin and lapping at it with her tongue to prepare it for the bite, her fangs piercing it roughly. She hummed in pleasure at the now familiar sweet yet spiced taste of his blood, her hands tightening on his frame to hold him close in case he tried to escape her grasp. What she did not expect was to feel his nose node skimming the side of her own throat as he inhaled her as well.

Elijah knew that scent well, the strong Petrova blood, yet so different from the one of Tatia and Katarina. The pull on his veins was tantalising yet he found himself not able to resist her blood this time as well, as he has for the past two times. His tongue skimmed her vein, making it rise beneath the surface before shifting his fangs to elongate and gently slicing the skin open for his body.

Elena's back arched as his arms tightened around her slim curves, her chest pressing into his at the pleasure of blood being shared between them. Such a connection ran even deeper than sex, physically being joined as one could never cover the pleasure of being one through blood, the primary life source that drove their immortal bodies. A soft hum escaped his throat as well as he pulled at her vein in tandem with her gulps, desire rising between them like a tide. She turned in her seat, straddling his hips and crossing her ankles behind his back to allow for a better angle for their bodies to press close and necks to bare for the bite.

His hands slid to her lower back, holding them in a passionate embrace as they fed off each other slowly, taking their time to have their share and prolong their connection. Elena pulled away from the throat, watching her bite mark heal instantly and waited for Elijah to pull away as well. The Original took a few more leisured gulps before releasing the hold of his fangs on her veins and looked into her eyes. Predictably, her feeding was messy and covered her chin in his blood. Still under the hold of blood sharing euphoria, Elijah leaned in and licked his own chin, his tongue lapping the dark red liquid up to the corner of her mouth. Her head shifted to accommodate his ministration and for the first time their lips pressed together in an open mouthed kiss, tongues not hesitating to taste every surface for the last traces of blood share, their connection pumping in their veins and making it difficult to think. What brought her back to her sense was a new scent in the air, her nose registered it and it sort of smelled like...herself?

She paused, their lips hovering close together as she recognised both the scent and the moisture pooling between her thighs, the heat of her core pressing against Elijah's hipbone. As she shifted to put some space between them, her cheeks brushed against his desire, alert at the pleasure shared between them and finally made her snap out of the blood frenzy. In mere moments she was off his lap and in her room with the door closed tightly to put space between them. While she was ready to explore a bond, and Elijah was admittedly sinfully gorgeous, she was not ready to go there just yet...

_I promise you are safe Elena, take your time to rest._

She whipped around, expecting to her him behind the door speaking to her but the words sounded so clear, as if mere inches were separating them. And that was when she realised Elijah was still sitting where she left him, sensing his position naturally. There was a sort of presence at the back of her mind, as if she could feel someone else. As she opened it up, the sense of age and power overcame her and she had to shut the imaginary door to keep it from swallowing her. Elijah had been right, their bond was opening up. Which meant... Well fuck.

_I heard that, lovely Elena._

Even his mind sounded amused to her inner ears. They have managed in three feedings what other bonds never achieved, a complete connection of the mind. She was so screwed...


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: The last chapter of this story my lovelies! My apologies for taking so long, I am swamped with coursework before Easter hols, sad times! I hope you enjoy it none the less, as our favourite couple goes through up and downs. Thank you for sticking with me and my story, much love! Xx**

**Always and forever,**

**Raven Mikaelson**

Jeremy was dead. Her mind struggled to comprehend the simple sentence that implied she had to live forever without the only family she had left. It was to be expected that one day, nature would separate them as she was the only immortal out of the two, yet not so soon... It was never supposed to be so soon.

Two years have passed since she left America with her bonded. They have occasionally travelled back to celebrate birthdays and other occasions with their friends and family yet could never be persuaded to stay longer than a day or two, the call of travelling deep within their spirit after such time away from Mystic Falls. Elena was astounded to return to the town which had been most of her mortal and a part of her immortal life, only to not feel like it was home anymore. Every time they passed the sign that welcomed them to Mystic Falls, all she felt was an unpleasant shudder running down her spine.

Damon and Rebekah surprisingly continued their physical relationship, however most tongues that saw them in the Caribbean gossiped about them being too affectionate for a purely physical relationship. Was it perhaps Damon finally finding his equal in the blond-turned-ginger-for-a-few-months? Stefan was travelling through Asia currently and still sent her the occasional postcard, which Elena cherished for the sights they depicted and brought many ideas for their own travels with Elijah.

She was relieved when Jeremy finished high school and during one of their phone calls revealed that he was looking forward to moving into Denver and take up an arts course at the local college. He sounded happy about his future as Bonnie was to join him in an attempt to learn more about the magical properties of herbs to start her own business and join a community of witches. Her heart once swelled with joy at how content he sounded with no more threats hanging above Mystic Falls like darkened clouds.

Yet in a single act of violence, her only remaining family was torn from her. A crazed vampire hunter took him and Matt Donovan as hostages in his attempt to lure out the remaining Original in town and in the process blew up the Grill and a part of the surrounding shops. Elena could still remember the phone call that pulled her out of the pleasant afternoon spent in Elijah's company.

_Tunisia was a beautiful if poor country. But what took breath away was the rich culture permeating all aspects of their travels, the rich colours of fabrics and spices, the scent of Arabic coffee ground freshly on the market for the sea of tourists milling around. They rose even before the morning sun peaked over the watery horizon, and after a playful swim in the salty water shared words over breakfast and Elijah took her to the market for fresh fruits. _

_Their bond has strengthened and solidified rapidly over the previous months and their communication remained intimate within the confines of their minds while only in each other's company. They did not feel the need for words spoken, when each word read in mind felt like an intimate caress to their subconscious. Elena often fondly referred to the Original as her bonded and the sparkle in Elijah's eyes at her words could not be overlooked. _

_He treated her with care and gave her space when necessary, letting her grow and blossom into the beautiful young woman she had turned out to be. After travelling through most of Europe and discovering many a cultures, Tunisia seemed to add more radiance to her skin and a new sparkle to her eyes._

_They were lounging the way Gods created them, only covered by light sheets after their love making. The weather was hot and pleasantly warmed their skin, but they were thankful for the small villa near the sea Elijah rented for them since it provided perfect shade. Their terrace was covered from sight and they let the soft warm summer breeze glide over their skin, drying the perspiration gathered there as Elena stretched her limbs languidly and leaned back into Elijah's chest, letting his strong arms glide over the quivering muscles of her abdomen with gentle fingertips. _

_Her silky hair tickled his collarbone yet he did not miss the long locks. Elena sent him for some more ground coffee to the market and by the time he returned her long locks were gone. All that remained were shiny thick tips brushing shoulders and neck in a semi-short sophisticated cut. Elijah was lost for words momentarily at such a sudden change yet he could see his lover's eyes aged and had to admit it suited the fiery Petrova. Now, he was even more grateful as he had grown very much used to the shorter cut caressing his chest and collarbone the many nights in a joined embrace. _

_A sudden wetness at his lips pulled the Original from his thoughts and he sucked on the offered digit gently, relishing in the fresh pomegranate juices trickling down Elena's hand. He lapped all of them up and hummed with pleasure at the taste as the enthral beauty in his arms offered him some more. He sat up further against the large silk pillow pressed against the wall and turned her around until her long slim thighs surrounded his trim waist in a sensual embrace in order to share the fruits. Elena bit into the juicy fruit, gathering ripe seeds and let the juices drip down her chin and onto the soft skin of her bared pert breasts. _

_Elijah groaned softly and licked up every last drop of the slightly tangy yet sweet fruit until his tongue reached Elena's lips and they shared the crimson seeds in an intimate kiss. She moaned softly into his lips and pressed their bodies closer, the spicy natural taste of her bonded with a hint of spice combined with the sweetness of the fruit was a true delight to her._

"_Delicious, my heart." Whispered the original's mind as his nose sensually skimmed the slightly flushed skin of her cheek. _

_She melted further into his strong arms at the endearing words. She could not get enough of his sentiment and while he still remained a man of his manners, when with her and in private both his hands and words showed clear devotion to her. For the first time in years she felt like a sensual woman, sharing a slightly erotic moment with her lover in a beautiful country full of riches for the tongue and senses. _

_Their moment was interrupted by Elena's cell phone. She did not wish to be disturbed and her friends knew that unless it was a dire situation, she would be the one to contact them. She froze in his arms and reached towards her sandals where she had placed it at the edge of their little love nest made of cushions and blankets._

"_Care, what is the matter?" she asked after noticing her best friend's name on the screen._

"_Elena, you need to return to Mystic Falls immediately. Something happened, we could not stop it...I'm not sure I should say it over the phone." The blond added hesitantly in a soft voice. _

"_Tell me." Said Elena firmly, bracing herself for bad news. The quiver in Caroline's voice was enough of an indicator that whatever words were to follow, they would bring nothing good._

"_It's Jeremy...I'm sorry but he's dead." It was but a whisper but the words rang in Elena's ears louder than Sirens. As Elijah naturally heard the words spoken, his arms tightened around the shocked form of his lover and held her close, his eyes searching her face carefully. _

"_What do you mean dead? He can't be. He has his ring and I know it's not safe since Rick but...he has to come back soon." She argued, her voice thick with worry and a small hysterical chuckle bubbled from her throat at the impossibility of the words spilling from Caroline's lips. _

"_I'm sorry Elena, it was not a supernatural death. He...there was an explosion. The...remains don't allow for him to come back." She added carefully. _

"_Remains?" whispered Elena, clearly in shock. _

_Elijah pried the phone from the clutch of her fingers before pressing it to his ear. "Thank you for the information, Miss Forbes. We shall return to Mystic Falls as soon as possible, most likely within 24 hours. May I inquire if a favour would be possible?" he asked._

"_Of course, Elijah, anything you need." Said the blond, used to the slightly stiff man after the couple of years that he spent by Elena's side. _

"_Please inform Niklaus we shall require a room in his manor to be close to the town and Elena's home if need be. Have him prepare a shared suit at the earliest convenience." He said as his eyes never left the shocked young woman in his lap._

"_All will be prepared for your arrival brother." came Klaus' voice from Caroline's side and Elijah surmised she had finally given into his brother's wishes for a closer relationship. Yet this was neither the time, nor the place._

"_Gratitude brother." His reply was short as the call was disconnected and he pulled Elena closer into his embrace. _

_Their bond was fully opened and he could feel her shock, her building grief and denial at hearing such news. _

"_He can't be...not Jeremy...all I had..." her words were a soft whisper of desperation and Elijah could almost hear the shattering sound of her heart breaking into miniscule pieces. _

"_Elena...focus on me..." he said softly, cupping her cheeks gently and waited until her eyes were focused on his dark gaze. "Now close your eyes and listen..." he instructed, words but a whisper yet she heard him clearly. His deep baritone cut through her emotions and her eyelids lowered of their own accord until the power of their bond encased her._

_She could feel his love, his devotion for her whole being and let it comfort her blank mind as their foreheads touched softly. _

"_Do not shut your emotions from this...let yourself grieve even when the pain is almost unbearable...but first we need to pack and honour your brother with a proper burial. And once his memory is honoured, my arms shall be open to hold you through your grief. Can you do that for me?" his mind asked in soothing tones, waves of comfort and safety overtook their bond as she let him guide her in despair._

It had been one of the most difficult times in her life and Elijah was there to hold her and offer support on every step. Once they arrived into Mystic Falls, Klaus welcomed them sombrely with Caroline on his arm and they arranged for a small ceremony with close friends and family. Seeing Bonnie devastated by the loss of her beloved tore at Elena's already broken heart even more and they found the comfort only a sister could provide for each other.

The place she once called home now only held bitter memories and the full family plot of the Gilbert family at the local cemetery. She felt completely alienated from her previous human life, and as a consequence she felt like a stranger in the large house that was once her home. Framed pictures of her dead family, the once comforting smell of lavender and rosemary in the kitchen, Jeremy's always messy room... As she stepped into the bright room that she once claimed as her own, her mind became completely blank and chest felt hollow as she no longer recognised Elena Gilbert in the reflection staring at her from the mirror.

A pained gasped escaped her lips as her grievous emotions sliced through her mind like a painful lightening and she crumpled to the floor, her legs no longer able to bear the weight on her shoulders. But then there were his gentle warm hands, holding her shoulders and picking her up effortlessly into his strong comforting embrace, their bond humming at the back of her mind even when searing pain wrecked her whole being in sobs. He was her silver lining, and perhaps the only thing stopping her from completely shutting off her emotions to escape the all consuming feelings of grief and pain. With a last look at the house, she let the match fall, burning the last of her ties to Mystic Falls and left, never to look back and hopefully never to return. As the sign announced they were no longer in Mystic Falls, she felt a new beginning swelling in her chest despite the pain and she vowed to remain strong. For herself, for Elijah and for their eternity.

...

It has been ten years since that day and Elena was lost deep in thought as her gaze followed the crushing waves of the ocean from the balcony of their small villa. They were back in Tunisia after the many years of travelling and she had asked Elijah to bring her back to this location as today was the day that she had found out about Jeremy's death, exactly ten years ago.

The Original has showed her the world, fed her foods tongue never even dreamed of tasting and taught her many facts of history and the world they lived in. They have witnessed civil unrests, pandemonium around many new illnesses the human race was faced with, yet their world was one of observers. Their immortality protected them from all mere humans had to face and they enjoyed their lives to the fullest, with no obligations to their time and place.

The first few months after Jeremy's death had proved to be difficult for the last Petrova, but with Elijah's gentle guidance, she found her peace once more. They were happy, their love eternal and bond flourishing. He was everything she had ever needed and wanted in a partner, in a lover and in a friend.

Elijah leaned against the balcony doorframe and watched Elena's petite form bathed in the late afternoon sunlight, the wind playing with her shoulder-length chestnut hair. Her long flowing white dress contrasted with the olive tone on her skin and all he could feel was the warmth radiating from her figure. She was his goddess, his bonded and as he preferred to call her, his heart. Their fights never lasted long and more often than not lead to a passionate make up, their time spent together rich with feeling and experience he now knew lacked in the last thousand years of his existence.

While those centuries were filled with studies, blood thirst, revenge and service to his brother, they felt long and used to weight upon his soul. A mere decade spent in Elena's presence and he felt like a new born vampire, with thirst for joy, excitement and pleasure at her hands.

Finally he stepped forward and pressed his nude chest to her warm back, protective arms embracing her petite waist until there was not an inch left between them.

"What troubles your mind, my heart?" he asked softly.

"Eli...how long have you been there?" she asked distractedly, only now focusing on the familiar touch and safety of his embrace. She leaned into him with her whole being and closed her eyes, letting her mind speak instead of her lips.

"It has been ten years...I find myself slightly unsettled but there is so much to look forward to." Her tone was warm as it penetrated his mind and he smiled against the soft skin of her shoulder.

"It shall be a grand wedding, as vampire royalty Mikaelsons demand the best of course." His tone was teasing as he chuckled softly against her lobe this time, his lips following a smooth path over her throat towards her cheek.

"I still can't believe Rebekah asked me to be a bridesmaid. I mean I did dye her hair ginger. If she's planning some sort of revenge just to make her big day just that little bit brighter, I'm out..." Elena was actually astonished as her and Rebekah's relationship improved over the years. The blond knew her brother was entirely prepared to spend eternity with the Petrova and while her distaste was strong enough to bare teeth at the beginning of this decade, somehow Elena had been the one to help her organise the grand event that will be taking place in Sicily in mere two weeks. Caroline tried to aid as well but Klaus kept her entirely too busy in Paris with a booked fashion show so she had her hands full. At least they will make it for the ceremony.

"Hmm I would say that is much more believable that the knowledge of the elder Salvatore getting married." Chuckled the Original.

"I know! Damon has always been such a man-whore and it took your sister to finally whip him into a stable relationship and now, even marriage. I mean, she must be quite the character if he continued his little shag fest with her more than once. But seriously, if someone told me years ago that I would ever see the day Damon Salvatore was getting married, I would direct them to the nearest mental health institute..." she chuckled in amusement.

A soft nip to her neck was her reply. "Using the terms 'Rebekah' and 'shag' in the same sentence is not necessarily enjoyable to my ears you do realise." grumbled Elijah.

"You aren't listening with your ears, love." She teased with a soft giggle, her previously gloomy mood completely forgotten.

Suddenly she turned in his arms and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I don't want to think of the past anymore. I don't care how we got here, I just can't imagine my eternity without you. Let's just be, be happy, be well and content in the knowledge that nothing shall ever separate us." This time her words were spoken, as if they would not be real if only remained whispered by the mind.

Elijah pressed a kiss to her forehead and bent down to pick her up, wounding the long slim legs around his waist.

"Then I shall have you in this very moment. A perfect end to the old decade and start to a new one." His soft words made her shudder with passion as he carried her into their bedroom to make good on his promise.

THE END.


End file.
